


We Are Faking It

by lokidiabolus



Category: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
Genre: Fake/Pretend Relationship, Harry is not dead, M/M, Slow Burn, Teacher!Harry, teacher!Eggsy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-27
Updated: 2015-07-09
Packaged: 2018-03-19 22:37:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 62,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3626859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lokidiabolus/pseuds/lokidiabolus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For Eggsy it was a thing - he was taking from Harry enough, now was the time he should give something back. Even if it meant playing his lover to get the mission going and catch the culprit. Who would it be if not him, right? Right.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Mission

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RobinNoHood](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RobinNoHood/gifts).
  * Translation into 中文 available: [冒牌恋人](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4740509) by [elvina_moqi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/elvina_moqi/pseuds/elvina_moqi)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This amazing banner is from ruslananice from Tumblr! <3  
> Thank you so much ^^

Being an agent, or a spy, or just a guy who loved suits – those things never mattered to Eggsy that much. Being a Kingsman had its perks, had its downfalls and it definitely meant being bored when you never expected it and getting pumped up when you thought you would normally fall asleep. The missions varied, the feedbacks as well. With Roxy it was a little like a hunt for better results, who looked more chic, who got better points, to whom Merlin said good job in his own, snarky way, and mostly, who got Harry to smile. Yes, well, Eggsy might had been cheating a little with that, sending Harry messages and keeping in touch as much as he could, while Roxy saw him only occasionally when Harry stopped by in the headquarters, still in re-convalescence after the head trauma.

The whole thing with Harry getting shot and actually surviving was something Eggsy _never_ talked about. He couldn’t bring it up. He didn’t want to. When he saw Harry after in the hospital, unconscious and so, _so still and quiet_ , his rage was so big he would be able to go back to Valentine’s body, bring him to life and kill him again and again and again. He was raging, he was hysterical, he had to leave the room on a verge of breaking down, and then spent the whole day in a gym, beating up the invisible Valentine in need to spill his guts for doing this to Harry.

When Harry woke up, and when it felt like deja vue after the thing in the university, all Eggsy could do was to smile and smile and smile. He smiled, he touched him, he had to make sure he was there, but act like it wasn’t desperate or needy, and Harry seemed like he was glad to see him, in his old, mannered self. It made Eggsy wonder how much can a person change after going through this, almost twice now. Tasting the death so closely, so terrifyingly – it must have been scary. But he never really knew what Harry thought, what was the act and what he really meant.

But after all that, Harry was back, even though not really available for hardcore missions, acting more like… an authority, a guide. Roxy really respected him, Eggsy knew. She was all proper around him, much more so than around Merlin, and Eggsy sometimes felt lame for being so dorky when he was with Harry as well.

Was he a disappointment? He wasn’t this tight up, super etiquette-holding guy, was he. He always talked, he made fun, he listened to funky music, he wore colourful outfits – it definitely wasn’t that Harry thought he would be, right? Did he mind? Or was he already above all this?

How Harry’s mind worked… that was a mystery.

Just like today. Tight lipped and sitting straight and all serious, Eggsy found himself staring, mapping his face, searching for clues, noting the small quirks of eyebrows when something didn’t seem nice to him, the silver in his hair, the unhappy curve of his mouth, until suddenly he was in motion again, his shoulders up, his hand holding the pen tightly on a verge of breaking and his voice was suddenly saying Eggsy’s name and…

What?

“-unsupervised?!”

“Harry, they are not amateurs,” Merlin opposed, while Roxy seemed all pale and quiet. There was something that escaped his attention and the mood seemed tense that Eggsy found it hard to breathe.

“It’s a _delicate_ mission, and you know it,” Harry shot back, his voice a dangerous rumble, and Eggsy knew it was really pissing him off, because he was never this _quiet_ , this passively aggressive when he didn’t feel like he have to. “Sending a new member is risky enough, but sending _two_ of them is madness!”

“You just don’t want to leave Eggsy out of your sight,” Merlin uttered and it felt like it was meant to be only to him, maybe in his mind and not out loud, and it made Harry still for a second, eyes piercing and narrowed, and Eggsy felt like shrining somewhere under the table and staying there.

“I’m still his _mentor_ ,” Harry bit out after a moment. “I want him _supervised_.”

“Be my guest,” Merlin replied calmly, but his voice had the edge in it Eggsy already knew very well. The _I’ll bloody kick you if you try to antagonize more_ tone, and Harry definitely heard it too, how could he not. “Just note this – two young people would have less trouble to fall in than an old grump with a twink.”

“A twink…?” Eggsy let out, staring at Merlin in disbelief, because what? He saw Roxy smirking at him like she won an award and he wondered if she really did, since she wasn’t called a twink like in a cheap porn movie.

“Or if you think a young lady would look better, to be called a gold digger maybe?” Merlin continued, not reacting to Eggsy’s confusion, and Harry seemed exasperated already.

“We have younger agents, surely-,”

“Oh, but you got all offended of being his _mentor_ ,” Merlin interrupted him sternly. “ _Surely_ you wouldn’t like somebody else spoiling him there, would you.”

“What are you even talking about?” Eggsy couldn’t stop himself, the whole exchange reminded him of a battlefield and _he_ had been used like a hostage. Roxy rolled her eyes, definitely thinking he was hopeless for sitting here and not knowing, and no, he wasn’t, he was just busy thinking about important things, thank you very much.

“The mission,” Merlin sent him a glance. “Of course.”

“Of course,” he repeated, frowning to himself, and caught how Harry looked at him as well, even though only briefly. He seemed agitated, like a cat that just spotted a dog in front of it, and Eggsy felt like asking what exactly the mission entailed would make _him_ the dog, so he remained quiet and sulking, until his phone lit up with a text from Roxy.

The girl was still sitting there with focused expression like she just didn’t send anything, and he had to admit she was pretty good at pretending. He smiled at her direction anyway, grateful, and the smile disappeared right the moment he opened the message and read: “Loser.”

He wanted to reply with something biting, but then noticed the text continued, so he postponed his terrible revenge and read on, giving her an evil glare instead, earning a smirk in return.

**There is a kidnapping going on, it’s especially aimed at pairs. They kidnap them and a month later they usually find them dead. We probably found the source, but exposing it is tricky. They want to send two of us to play a couple, find the culprit, break it down.**

Eggsy blinked, reading through it again, and then repeated the conversation Harry and Merlin just had. So… pretending to be a couple. With Harry being unhappy with sending two newbies – well, yeah, understandable, taking the current events – but then Merlin suggesting Harry to go personally? He was still healing, he couldn’t…

“Harry is still healing up,” he decided to spoke up over another argument Merlin was just having with the older man, and it shut them up. “You can’t expect him to go in this state.”

“He’s bored to death,” Merlin snorted, giving his colleague a weird look. “This mission is nothing action-preferred. It’s all about _acting_. He’s good at it. Hell, he was lying through his teeth more times than you pulled on your pants, he needs it.”

“That doesn’t mean he _should_ go,” Eggsy opposed, putting his phone to the side. “You never know what can happen there, he could get hurt again and-,”

“Eggsy,” Harry’s voice stopped his ramble like a guillotine, leaving him gaping and trying to find the best way to express the fear of another bloodshed, another pain it would cause this man, because it was enough, he got hurt enough, he suffered enough for this bloody organization.

“You are not _scared_?” he just voiced out weakly and there was a sudden understanding in Harry’s brown eyes, because his face softened, the agitated lines smoothing out, his mouth curling up a little.

“Maybe it’s exactly what I need not to be?” he offered and there was something soothing in his voice, something gentle that made Eggsy breathe a little easier and _believe_.

“If something happens, I will make sure he’ll make it out okay,” Roxy piped and it was comforting, really, very nice of her, but _no_.

“I will go,” he said resolutely, not looking away from Harry who seemed rather surprised, staring at him with a silent question in his eyes. “I will make sure it would be alright.”

“But Eggsy-,”

“He’s _my_ mentor, after all,” he refused her complains resolutely and it made Harry chuckle, his face finally relaxing enough that Eggsy would believe him. “Or do you have a problem with that?”

“The profile is for uh…” she trailed off, looking at Merlin for support, but the Quartermaster seemed really amused by the situation, so he only grinned at her and remained quiet, earning a frown from her pretty face.

“Is?”

“For heterosexual couples,” Harry finished it for her easily, nodding to her. “There wasn’t a record for this particular culprit focusing at homosexual couples at all.”

“Well, maybe he just didn’t see a couple interesting enough,” Eggsy shrugged, sounding stupid even to his own ears, but really, Harry with Roxy? No, just no. Of course she was great and helpful and would lend a hand in anything if he needed, but Eggsy felt it was _his_ responsibility, _his_ duty. Not to mention he wanted to be helpful, at least at some way, to Harry. He was just taking, now it was time to give as well.

“I’m sure your apparent age difference will do the trick,” Merlin commented dryly and Eggsy had to laugh, because – yeah, of course, they were pretty much apart, but hey, it wasn’t unheard of, right? It wasn’t like they had to marry or anything. Just play along, pretend, act like he knew the man perfectly.

And he knew Harry just enough to pull this off like a pro.

Hopefully.

“Eggsy, I really think it would be better if I-,”

“Nope,” he stopped her again, standing up from the long table and smoothing down his jacket. “What’s his favourite colour?”

“I, uh-,”

“What about food?” he continued, her confused expression speaking volumes. “The breed of his dog?”

“Fine,” she sighed, rolling her eyes. “You won. But I could learn those things too, you know.”

“I’m sure,” he winked at her and returned his focus back at Harry. “So? What do you say, _darling_?”

“I’m sure it’s going to be a disaster,” Harry deadpanned, standing up as well, swiftly buttoning up his jacket and then reaching for his umbrella. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to. Let’s speak of details this evening, if you are willing.”

“Oh I’m willing, alright,” Eggsy pulled his most charming smile and wasn’t even surprised when Harry huffed a little and rather stayed quiet on his way out.

“I can’t wait to see _that_ ,” Merlin literally giggled and at that moment Eggsy wondered if he really did the right thing.

He was going to play a lover to Harry fucking Hart. 


	2. Not Married

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Don’t sound so disappointed,” Merlin smirked at him. “Harry’s first love would always be his work. Second place isn’t that bad.”  
> “Tea is on the second, I’m afraid you have to settle on the third,” Harry deadpanned and Eggsy couldn’t help but laugh.   
> “Third place is good, innit?” he looked at Merlin, his lips stretched in a wide grin, and the quartermaster rolled his eyes and gestured towards the papers.

“It’s Harry, of course he wants to be married.”

                “Your confidence astounds me,” Merlin informed him from the table, his face a pure amusement, and Harry on the other side seemed like he was holding by the power of his sheer will from rolling his eyes.

The headquarters was quiet and dark already, the time inching closer to ten in the evening, and only their voices resonated the area. It was creepy, at least a little bit, as if Chester’s ghost still lingered there, ready to strike. Eggsy had those silly thoughts more often than he would be comfortable admitting, and even though he wasn’t alone here, it felt… strained, sitting in the meeting room as if it was completely normal.

Well, it was normal, really. Just… not as it used to be. They still didn’t have the new Arthur, right? So there was that, the leadership somehow divided between Merlin and Galahad, but Eggsy knew there had to be only one elected at some point.

“What,” Eggsy crossed his arms on his chest, looking at the quartermaster stubbornly. “He has that vibe. Right, Harry?”

“I’m more of a bachelor,” Harry replied, calmly reaching for his tea. “Why do you think I’m still unmarried?”

“Too busy?” Eggsy offered and, well, true, Harry seemed like a type who valued his own privacy – his own calm and quiet house without a woman pestering him about dirty socks or dishes in the sink. His whole house had that vibe (and Eggsy had to admit he _was_ curious there, looking around like a petulant child, and for a guy he had the house in perfect order. If Eggsy was living alone like this, with the whole place to himself – two floors, several rooms – it would be a warehouse soon, full of clothes scattered around).

“Quite,” the agent said simply and Eggsy couldn’t miss Merlin’s grin. That guy was all smiles lately, seriously. He wasn’t even trying to be subtle anymore; he just used his face as a weapon of mass destruction – delivering his moods without words just by his expression.

“Too used to being his own master,” Merlin added, earning an unamused look from the older man, and reached for one of the papers. “Not to mention, the profile fits more for couples, not a married pair. All the victims were unwed.”

“Oh,” Eggsy blinked, a little surprised. “Okay then. No marriage.”

“Don’t sound so disappointed,” Merlin smirked at him. “Harry’s first love would always be his work. Second place isn’t that bad.”

“Tea is on the second, I’m afraid you have to settle on the third,” Harry deadpanned and Eggsy couldn’t help but laugh.

“Third place is good, innit?” he looked at Merlin, his lips stretched in a wide grin, and the quartermaster rolled his eyes and gestured towards the papers.

“Let’s get back to business, shall we?” he more like ordered than suggested and Eggsy didn’t bother to wipe his smile off his face. It was stupid, really, but having Harry making those small jokes was the best thing ever. He was usually serious and mannered, but he had this particular sense of humour Eggsy easily responded to – and having it back after _that_ , it was definitely worth his good mood.

“We shall,” he played his part, imitating Merlin’s hand gesture and the quartermaster apparently gave up, since he blatantly ignored him.

“The common spot is Newcastle, three small hotels in a secluded area. I suppose it’s good for… privacy,” Merlin started, his tone professional. “From what we know, those are common places where people go for having a good time without their significant others.”

“How delicately said,” Harry commented. “And the profile of those _couples_? All of them having an affair?”

“Surprisingly not,” Merlin activated the screen on the wall and several IDs popped right in. “Usually _young_ couples, most of them booked the room for a week, or at least weekend, either here or the area. The bodies were found in Castlewellan and Bryansford though.”

“So why are we starting in Newcastle?” Eggsy joined the conversation with raised eyebrows and Merlin changed the image for another IDs.

“It’s a common spot for all of them, naturally the best place to start at,” he concluded and tilted his head to the side. “Or do you have a better idea?”

“Just that it sounds weird for _us_ to go for such case. I mean, isn’t this more suited for the police?” he tried, because yeah, a case of such murders – multiply murders on top of that – it sounded better for some CIA or shite. If there is a known common place where to start, why was Kingsman on that? A spy organisation trying to catch a murderer of couples?

“A brilliant question,” Harry chided, looking at Merlin pointedly, probably a little jaded on that _young_ reference. “Why is a spy organisation dispatched to investigate a case of several murders?”

“Because if the police come and bang on their door, they would be greeted with tea and biscuits and find _nothing_ ,” the quartermaster responded with a sigh, as if he was talking to a bunch of kids not understanding basic means. “If they go undercover, they are bound by orders.”

“Orders,” Eggsy repeated, incredulously, and Merlin gave him a small smile.

                “ _We_ know what we have to do. _How_ we do it, that’s nobody’s business. We don’t need to answer to procurator or the government, or the Queen if you want to go there,” he picked the papers he had prepared on the table and patched them together. It seemed more like a _let’s keep my hands busy and look serious_ gesture than something he really had to do, but Eggsy considered it a needed motion from his side, like in a movie. “They are moving in circles. We are moving forward. If there is something going on, we will find it. _You_ will find it.”

“Alright,” the young man shrugged, completely sated with such explanation, and glanced at Harry who seemed unfazed.

“Three hotels,” Merlin spoke up again and changed the screen once more to show up three photos of small, cosy looking buildings. “According to the intel, Hotel Eternity had more of the couples visiting than the rest of those, therefore I’d advise to start there.”

Eggsy snorted, all those cheap ass names of hotels always made him laugh, especially when they were the love ones, the hour ones and they went by _The Love Nest_ or _Home_. Eternity sounded equally stupid, really.

“That’s gonna take-,”

“Eggsy, no,” Harry looked at him in exasperation and Eggsy raised an eyebrow.

“- _eternity_ to find them, what?” he gave his mentor a questioning look and Harry just let out a sigh and shook his head.

It wasn’t such a bad pun, was it? Merlin seemed to be trying to hide his smirk, so at least _somebody_ could appreciate the innocent humour, if not uptight Harry Hart _. Sheesh._

“Just act in love enough and it should be what they need,” Merlin informed him sweetly, and damn, that guy was really enjoying that, wasn’t he? “If the intel wasn’t wrong and they weren’t cheating pairs of bastards.”

“Harry would never cheat on me, would you?” Eggsy winked at the agent and Harry’s mouth curled up a little, like it was really entertaining him. Or maybe he was already planning how to get Eggsy handcuffed to a heater in a dark room for the whole mission and do it all alone. Also a possibility, with Harry you never knew.

“Despite of what you might think, I’m rather not going to suggest any behavioural patterns you may have during the mission,” Merlin passed the exchange without a quirk of his eyebrows. “It would seem too forced, so… just act like a couple if you can manage. You don’t need to go around with heart eyes, but don’t act like two guys accidentally sharing a room either. Not obvious, but possibly don’t go unnoticed.”

“Two men, that’s already a pointer,” Harry commented matter-of-factly. “Does it even fit the profile?”

“What, you want Roxy better with you?” Eggsy edged with a smirk. “One pretty lady instead of me?”

“You are _pretty_ enough, thank you,” Harry brushed him off, but his eyes were smiling, even though his face was trying to stay serious, and that was enough for Eggsy to go by.

“It’s fine, I know you like me,” he teased him happily and Harry looked so exasperatedly fond it was hilarious to watch.

“Have you noticed that Harry and Gary sound really funny together?” Merlin pointed out and Eggsy wondered how much pain he could cause the man to still be able to stay in Kingsman.

Probably a lot, judging from Harry’s murderous expression that matched his own.

***

“I’m kinda disappointed I can’t watch it as a live-feed,” Roxy sighed, scratching J.B. behind his ears. The pup bounced happily and Eggsy didn’t even mind – he gave up on him being a vicious bulldog a long ago. They were sitting in one of the lounges, comfortably resting on a sofa, and J.B. was ecstatic he could sniff at everything.

“Peeping Tom,” Eggsy smirked at her. “I can’t really imagine how it’s going come down though.”

“That’s why I said you should have let me,” she noted. “I know you like him and all, but it’s an important job.”

“I know it’s an important job and – what do you mean you know I like him?” he stopped, staring at her suspiciously. “Stop being so know-it-all.”

“Oh please,” she rolled her eyes, but there was a smile hidden behind the gesture. “Why do you think Merlin suggested Harry to go with you?”

“I know why he wanted me to go rather than you,” he shot back, not keen on hearing her conspiracy theories, and Roxy snorted.

“We _all_ know why he wanted that,” she told him sweetly and titled her head to the side. “I’m just saying that it may have been easier with me there.”

“And Harry,” he added, eying her carefully and she shrugged.

“And any agent,” she said simply. “Harry just got _concerned_ about two newbies, which is understandable, even though we already proved ourselves. I think he’s just overreacting because you’d be involved, even though you basically saved the world.”

“Basically saved the world,” he cringed, leaning back over the sofa. “I should put that to my resume. _What are your best qualities, son?_ – _Well, I’ve basically saved the world. You’re welcome._ ”

“There, there,” she patted him on a shoulder, chuckling. “I don’t know what are you worried about. You’re not leaving Kingsman _ever_. You don’t need resumes.”

“You mean I can leave only in a coffin?” he gave her an evil eye and she smirked and took J.B. to her arms.

“I mean you love the job,” she concluded, swaying the dog from side to side. “And nothing can really change that. And since I heard Harry is happier unmarried, you don’t need to be afraid of ending up as a housewife, which would be the only thing that could tear you away from this.”

“I’ll never stop hearing about this, will I,” he sighed, already regretting his decision to be a stubborn arse and push him and Harry both into this, making them an easy target for gossip and teasing remarks. He needed to talk to Harry soon, making him uncomfortable was the last thing he wanted.

“No, I don’t think you will,” she smiled happily. “Don’t worry about J.B. I’ll take care of him.”

“Don’t feed him after midnight,” he added, standing up to leave. “Or he’ll turn into a gremlin and sing in a musical.”

***

Harry’s house was like a time machine – it took you back about 30 years, everything decorated in clean fashion and dry, practical colours, and yet it was still so damn cosy. Eggsy liked it there in a sense; it always gave him this strange, welcoming hug every time he entered. And he counted and appreciated every single time Harry was the one who opened the door for him, the one who led him inside, who offered him tea or whiskey or something, and that it wasn’t just Eggsy, pale and on a verge of screaming, who was leaving from here with only one clear thought in his head – revenge.

He counted today too, the strange relieved feeling when he rang the bell and the door opened to reveal Harry inside in his robe, safe and healthy and looking surprised he saw Eggsy on his doorstep.

Eggsy wondered if there was going to be a moment he wouldn’t find this man so endearing, so precious, even though he really didn’t understand why exactly. He was always grateful for Harry’s presence, always pleased when Harry focused solely on him, and he just took it as a fact.

“Hey,” he greeted him from outside, offering a meek smile. “Thought I’ll stop by.”

“Of course,” Harry nodded at him, his face softening, and let the boy inside of the house as he always did. There was warmth and pleasant smell of something cooking, or maybe baking ( _Harry baked? Oh man, what an image_ ) and Harry led him to the living room, missing the office they usually spent time in, without a glance. It was nice somehow, like a new level of comfortableness, not just work stuff that needed to be secluded from the rest of the house.

“Something happened?” the agent asked with a worried undertone in his voice while he was sitting down on the armchair. Eggsy noticed the glass with whiskey resting on the table in front of it, apparently still untouched, and a notebook opened next to it. No food though, so maybe he was just cooking or he already finished eating.

“No, just thought we should talk?” Eggsy shrugged, sitting down as well and Harry seemed interested. “I mean, I know you‘re… professional and stuff. But still.”

“Is this about the mission?” Harry asked calmly and when Eggsy nodded, he seemed thoughtful. “Are you uncomfortable with it?”

“No,” the young man immediately retorted, a little panicked he gave out that vibe, even though it wasn’t right. “No, not uncomfortable at all. It was me who get us there anyway, so…”

“I think we both did,” Harry retorted, looking relaxed about it, and it gave Eggsy a sense of contentment. “So what’s the problem?”

“Just wanted to know if you’re not… well. Angry or against it or something,” Eggsy shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant. “Not to mention you should still rest and-,”

“Eggsy,” Harry stopped him and there was this small smile playing on his lips, as if Eggsy amused him to no end. “From my end there is definitely no anger or uncomfortableness. And Merlin was right – I _am_ bored. I need to do something that doesn’t include sitting around and offer an advice.”

“So you’d rather be playing _so in love_ with a twink?”

There was an honest groan from the man, like just hearing it was too much for him, and Eggsy had to agree. Merlin’s nickname was definitely something he wouldn’t forget as easily as he wanted.

“Playing _so in love_ with you is not a hardship,” the older man concluded. “As well as it is something to do for me to keep busy. God knows I need it.”

“Why haven’t you said so?” Eggsy blinked in surprise. “I thought you were alright with the current events, that you needed the calm. If you’ve said you’re bored, we could have…”

“Could have?”

“Done something,” he finished lamely, his mind blank, and Harry chuckled.

“ _This_ is something,” he gestured vaguely and seemed so strangely content that Eggsy believed him.

“Alright,” he smiled at the agent happily. “But be sure I’ll definitely romance the shite out of you.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” Harry nodded easily and Eggsy was actually starting to get curious.

He was going to play a lover to Harry fucking Hart and he didn’t even mind that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> There is probably ton of mistakes - I don't remember Harry's house very clearly, so it's really a blind shot. Also, Merlin wasn't named in the movie, was he? He's just "Merlin" and the "quartermaster", right?
> 
> Anyway! Happy for feedbacks and thank you so much for your comments, I'm glad it's readable at least ^^


	3. Testing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Lovely,” Eggsy rolled his eyes. He was going to play a fucking student and it made him agitated already. “I always felt I’m still twenty anyway.”  
> “You are still twenty,” Harry concluded. “But no. Being called my son once is enough. Not to mention we still have to maintain the main goal prior to the mission, when the murderer targets couples, not families. Not to mention attempting teacher and student relationship is basically illegal.”

“God, it’s atrocious,” Eggsy mumbled, partly disappointed, partly disgusted.

He was greeted with flowery curtains and old colourful rags all over even older wooden floor that creaked at each step and was filled with scratches and dents. The place had distinctive smell of staleness and if somebody came here to fall in love, he probably changed his mind right the moment he set a foot in the reception.

He saw Harry cringing a little, his tall, proud frame almost seemed like he wanted to retreat, but then he took a deep breath (Eggsy already thought he was braver than him for that) and approached the raggedy counter with an old lady behind it in sure, long steps.

She had to be over hundred, Eggsy thought. Or at least 99 and half. Her hair was white like Eggsy’s resume and tangled into _hey, I’m a Russian maid_ style, her blue watery eyes squinted at them even through her thick glasses, and if she was the murderer they were searching for, it had to be because it took her forever to open a door. Or anything, really.

“Hello, dears,” she greeted them with sugary voice, and Eggsy immediately thought of witches wanting to eat little boys. He expected shovel hidden somewhere and wide oven ready to cook any size or shape. “Looking for a room?”

The first instinct Eggsy had included a resolute _no_ , but he gulped it down forcefully. Who the hell wanted to stay in this hell hole? They probably attempted suicide after staying here just from the desperation alone. Was it a cat food he smelled here?

“Actually no,” Harry answered instead of him and it made Eggsy blink in surprise and look at the man in silent question. _No?_ They weren’t staying? Not that he wanted to, but still. It was the mission, right? He expected Merlin to play pranks at them like this though, choosing the worst hotel possible and laughing at it in his office. “I was wondering if you can help me. Is there a university in closer vicinity? Do you have lots of students staying here?”

University? Eggsy tried to look nonchalant during the questioning, but he couldn’t say what was Harry actually playing at. They’d never talked about universities, had they?

“Oh, yes,” the lady nodded right away, her lips widening in a smile, surprisingly toothy. “It had been quite busy these past few weeks! I believe it was because the University had three weeks off, at least that’s what the lads said so.”

“Three weeks off?” Harry repeated and there was an interest in his voice. Eggsy slowly put down the bag he was holding and leaned over the counter, immediately earning a critical eye from his companion.

Right, leaning was bad.

“I believe the main building was under reconstruction after it collapsed,” the lady seemed thoughtful for a while and Eggsy expected her to fish out some diary or something to look through. Her memory couldn’t be so good anymore, he wouldn’t believe she knew where she put her teeth in the morning. “Those poor souls needed place to stay at, the semester just started, so they came here until the University got opened again.”

“That’s very specific,” Eggsy pointed out, rather suspicious, and looked around to check the surroundings for anything that could surprise them. They were alone in the reception, as if the whole hotel was basically empty (he wasn’t be surprised, _Eternity_ would take you alive and never spit out the same), and he could see the stairs leading to the higher floor and few raggedy tables that were supposed to look inviting. Probably.

“Do you remember-oh,” he blinked once he glanced back at the lady, just to stop when he saw her with a huge white cat in her arms and three more felines promenading across the counter. _How the hell..?_

“We haven’t got many visitors these past two years,” she said sadly and Eggsy quickly looked at Harry who seemed to be as composed as ever. Maybe he was a fan of cats? One was trying to get his attention right at the moment and Eggsy raised an eyebrow when the agent gently scratched it under its chin and it purred.

“I remember each and every one of them,” the lady continued, making Eggsy focus back at her. The cat she was holding was really, really huge. Was it even a cat? It looked more like a mountain lion. Or Garfield. “The whole area got very full when students needed a place to wait at before the University got re-opened. My hotel got full overnight.”

 _Poor sods_ , Eggsy thought for himself, scrunching his nose at the smell. The cat food was definitely the main stench now.

“Did they go back to the university after?” Harry inquired, not stopping petting the cat like it was completely normal, and the lady nodded.

“Whiskers really likes you,” she told him and Eggsy had to turn away to hide the laughter that bubbled inside of him. _Whiskers_ was probably super old, super fluffy and kept on leaning into Harry like he was a cushion he could scratch against.

“Thank you, madam,” he heard Harry saying and he wasn’t sure if he reacted to the affectionate cat or the owner. “You were very helpful.”

“No hardship, dear,” she assured him and Eggsy grabbed the bag he put on the floor again, seeing an opportunity to leave. “If you’re searching for a good college for your son, the Newcastle University is very good.”

Eggsy froze like if he got sprayed with liquid nitrogen and glanced at Harry like a deer in highlights. This implication definitely hadn’t been planned, _god_. A son! She needed her sight checked again or thicker glasses.

“Yes,” Harry responded positively though and it made Eggsy sputter indignantly. “He’s bit of a wildcat though, we might check it first a bit if he would even like it.”

“A wise choice,” she agreed with him immediately, making Eggsy roll his eyes. “Young people these days…”

“Indeed,” Harry agreed without missing a beat and Eggsy wondered if he shouldn’t have told Merlin to call Roxy after all. Harry was just perfectly taking advantage of him, that sly dog.

They left the hotel with thanks and goodbye, with the lady waving at them and cats meowing, and Eggsy was glaring at Harry the whole way back outside, and could easily see how Harry’s mouth kept on twitching with a supressed smile.

“Fuckin’ _son_ , I can’t believe it,” he grumbled when they were reaching the car and fumed. Harry calmly stopped at the vehicle, put on his shades like a badass and opened the boot. Eggsy just expected the _yeaaaaah_ to appear. “She needs her sight checked!”

“I can easily be your father,” Harry opposed, putting the case back into the car, and he was so reserved about it Eggsy wanted to kick him. “She wasn’t wrong.”

“Oh right,” the boy gave him an evil eye. “ _Daddy_.”

Harry just let out a sigh, apparently not keen on arguing over it, and took Eggsy’s bag as well.

“I should have just kissed you, show her the fuck I’m not your son,” Eggsy glared over his shoulder back at the hotel and it made Harry chuckle.

“Yes, that would definitely help the situation,” he agreed with him with voice full of irony. “She would get a heart-attack and one potential killer would be out of the way.”

Eggsy huffed and opened the door, leaning over it lazily.

“So what now?” he asked. “Another hotel? Hopefully better?”

“Forget hotels,” Harry shook his head. “I’ve looked it up a bit more yesterday, taking in all the leads Merlin sent me, and thought of this. Since she confirmed it, lounging around three hotels is waste of time.”

“So?”

“The University,” the spy said simply. “We have to start there.”

“The University? What do you want to play at there?” Eggsy raised an eyebrow and then it hit him. “ _No_.”

“Think about it,” Harry pointed out. “Three hotels are not a stable, definite area. One university is a place where _all of them_ were.”

“Merlin would say so,” Eggsy opposed with a frown.

“Merlin did say so,” Harry shrugged, looking around like he was searching for something, and then settled back on watching the boy. “In a sense. He threw little things around, waiting for me to pick them up and connect the dots.”

“Why?” the blond didn’t understand – wasn’t they supposed to work together the most efficient way? Why would Merlin keep things from them on purpose? That was what he did during the training phase, but not when they were fully fledged Kingsman. Not to mention Harry was already a veteran, he shouldn’t be going through all this like a trainee.

“A test,” Harry replied simply, confirming his thoughts. “He’s keen on getting me back in shape, so he tries to hide things and waits for me to pick them up, if I still am able to do so.”

“And you are,” Eggsy concluded bitterly, even though it was a good thing. But the fact Merlin was trying to trick him just to see if Harry was still wary made him uneasy.

“I am,” Harry smiled, apparently not bothered in the slightest. “I will inform him once I’m sure, but the University is our destination for now.”

“Lovely,” Eggsy rolled his eyes. He was going to play a fucking student and it made him agitated already. “I always felt I’m still twenty anyway.”

“You _are_ still twenty,” Harry concluded. “But no. Being called my _son_ once is enough. Not to mention we still have to maintain the main goal prior to the mission, when the murderer targets _couples_ , not _families_. Not to mention attempting teacher and student relationship is basically illegal.”

“Since when?” Eggsy edged, curious. “I mean, yeah, people don’t like it, but it’s not _illegal_.”

“Frowned upon then,” the agent admitted, making a vague gesture towards the boy. “What I mean, yes, it would definitely make us a target, but not just for the criminal, but also a committee board. Not what we need right now.”

“Right,” the young man sighed and beckoned for him to continue. “So how do you want to approach this?”

“Teachers,” Harry suggested and Eggsy’s jaw dropped somewhere very low.

“Shut up!” he shot out, stunned. “Of fucking what?”

“Definitely not etiquette for you,” Harry smirked and Eggsy had an urge to flip him off, just for fun and giggles.

“I’ll think of something on the way,” he assured him. “Not to mention University sounds a lot better than a cheap hotel, don’t you think?”

“And here I thought you didn’t want to stay in the hotel cuz it smelled there,” Eggsy pointed out and Harry opened the driver’s door and looked at the young man over the top.

“Like cat piss.”

***

“Good job, Galahad. The hotel was the last straw, wasn’t it?”

Eggsy had to bite his tongue to remain quiet when Harry dialled Merlin and the velvety voice flooded the line, all pleased tones and mischievous intents.

“Definitely not my forte,” Harry admitted, looking at the road without a flinch. “Was it necessary though?”

“I don’t know,” Merlin replied in an amused voice. “Was it?”

“You could have told us,” Eggsy lost his patience at that and barked out. “We’re losing time because of your games.”

“Do you remember what I told you about having a problem with me?” Merlin retorted calmly and Eggsy rolled his eyes and sat back into the seat, arms crossed on his chest. “I take it as a yes.”

“The University in Newcastle then,” Harry picked up where they left of as if the scene hadn’t even unfolded. “All of them were students there.”

“Precisely,” Merlin confirmed it. “I’m glad you’re as sharp as ever. You’re already expected there.”

“Literature?”

“And history,” the quartermaster hummed in agreement. “Thought you’d like it.”

“Not against it,” the older agent approved, driving them steadily through the streets of Newcastle and Eggsy almost missed his name being called.

“If you say Zoology, I’m leaving,” he grumbled when Merlin took a breath to deliver the verdict, and it made the man stop and chuckle.

“Not keen on animals?” he asked, clearly amused, and Eggsy buried himself deeper into the seat, refusing to get targeted again. Being called Harry’s son was already annoying enough, even though the lady had eyesight worth shite, and having Harry making fun of it as well already pushed it up the wall.

“Mathematics,” Merlin broke in to his thoughts, sounding quite serious for such topic, and Eggsy blinked few times, repeating the word in his head.

“Maths…? But I’m shite in maths, how can I teach it?”

“Your records speak otherwise,” Merlin coaxed him. “You’re expected by today, the headmaster is well acquainted with _your resumes_. Everything is taken care of to a comfortable degree – try not to make the school blow up while you’re there, please.”

“Merlin, I can’t _teach_ _maths_!”

“Don’t forget about the main goal of your mission, but try not to get called out on it by the committee,” Merlin continued calmly, completely ignoring the panic rising in Eggsy’s voice.

“Merlin!”

“The accommodation is provided by the University itself, one attic flat, although I can’t vouch for the size of it,” the quartermaster announced. “Good luck.”

“No, wait, Merlin-!”

The transmission ended like a guillotine and Eggsy remained frozen staring in front of him, his head a pure chaos.

“Fuck,” he wept and the fact Harry just kept on looking forward with too much effort to remain stone-faced said it all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> So dialogue-ish, eh xD Sorry, it should get going the next chapter ^^  
> Thank you for your lovely comments, it makes me want to continue <3
> 
> EDIT: Thank you Boo for pointing out the "maths" mistake! Remedied that ^^


	4. The University

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Of course,” Eggsy pulled meaningfully at the cuff of his white shirt, peeking just right from under the striped, dark blue jacket. The suit was a precise fit, it perfectly hugged his body in sharp contours and made him look taller, more serious, and, if Eggsy dared to say, more mature. “It’s yours after all.”  
> “I’m afraid it would be a tight fit for me,” Harry opposed while buttoning up his own grey jacket with dark tie. Harry was born to wear suits – Eggsy could barely imagine him in anything else. When he saw him in a sweater or something more “comfy”, it just seemed like a disguise, an alias, not him at all, even though he maintained his persona in everything he wore, always standing straight and tall and proud.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This amazing fanart (because I begged for it xD) is from vennieandroxie on Tumblr (or 1300 here on Ao3)! <3  
> Thank you so much, hun, it's super lovely <3

“Fuck me!” Eggsy breathed out, eyes wide while fixated on the building in front of him. “It’s fucking huge!”

“So they say,” Harry retorted next to him and it took Eggsy a moment before he realized he was just treated with _that’s what she said_ variation and it almost gave him a heart-attack.

“Dirty-minded freak,” he nudged the older man with a snort and Harry smirked slightly and checked his watch.

“We are expected in twenty minutes,” he informed his younger counterpart, looking him over appraisingly. “Looking sharp.”

“Of course,” Eggsy pulled meaningfully at the cuff of his white shirt, peeking just right from under the striped, dark blue jacket. The suit was a precise fit, it perfectly hugged his body in sharp contours and made him look taller, more serious, and, if Eggsy dared to say, more mature. “It’s yours after all.”

“I’m afraid it would be a tight fit for me,” Harry opposed while buttoning up his own grey jacket with dark tie. Harry was born to wear suits – Eggsy could barely imagine him in anything else. When he saw him in a sweater or something more “comfy”, it just seemed like a disguise, an alias, not him at all, even though he maintained his persona in everything he wore, always standing straight and tall and proud.

“That… probably would,” Eggsy admitted, chuckling a little at the picture. “What I meant is… it’s _yours_. You chose it and let it be made.”

Harry remained quiet for a while, just studying the clothes with a critical eye, and then there was an understanding lightening up, as well as surprise that Eggsy couldn’t really place anywhere.

“You mean it’s..?”

“Yeah,” the young man nodded, smoothing down the jacket gently. He really loved this suit, even though it got kind of messed up the last first mission he took it at, he couldn’t part with it. It was like a memento, something that Harry made for _him_ , even though not literally, but it was him who chose it and it was… a gift. Eggsy refused to give it up.

So he let it get patched up and wore it still, even though he got many of other amazingly looking suits, this one was a lucky one, a loved one, _the one_.

“I’m glad it fits you well,” Harry offered a small smile, and Eggsy wondered if he thought he was stupid for bringing it, or too attached for keeping it. But Eggsy wore it because he wanted to. And maybe also a little because Harry never saw it – and he should have.

“Like a glove,” the boy winked and it made Harry shake his head and gesture towards the area, so he followed him into the campus without another word. The whole place was enormous and very old fashioned, like the school buildings you see in movies, with wide, green lawns and tall, brick buildings. Students were passing around like busy ants, holding books or talking heatedly about a theory and Eggsy felt like in another world. He was never this diligent, being so into studying sounded super dull, and he always preferred movement over static learning. If he took himself back, Marines were great experience, something he enjoyed when it lasted, always in motion. In comparison to this it was like sci-fi.

“Your alias?” the older agent asked, successfully pulling him from his thoughts, while scanning the surroundings, looking at all, even minor, details, his eyes skimming from side to side, from student to student, doors to doors. Eggsy could tell he was already aware of everything, making small notions in his mind

“Gary Everett,” Eggsy replied, cringing a little at the unfamiliar sound of it, and Harry hummed in agreement. “A fucking maths teacher, I can’t believe it.”

“Mathematics,” Harry corrected him, his voice lower. “Maths is an elementary practice, Eggsy.”

“Math _ematics_ ,” the boy breathed out, unhappy. “What was Merlin even _thinking_!”

“The same thing I was,” Harry glanced at him minutely. “You keep bringing yourself down, but you’re intelligent young man and you are skilled in vector calculus-,”

“Oh yea, talk dirty to me,” Eggsy snorted and he probably won, because Harry stuttered to halt before he was able to get back his composure. “It’s fucking cool I can _count_ , but there are _students_ who can probably do it better than me, and that’s going to be _really_ _awkward_.”

“It’s not the job you’re having for life,” the older agent sighed, his pace slowing down. “Just keep yourself calm, act unattached.”

“An advice from my fellow teacher!” Eggsy exclaimed and then stopped, returning his look towards his companion. “What’s your name anyway?”

“Harry DeWitt,” the older man replied simply, the name sounding almost electric from his lips.

“Tired of DeVille?” Eggsy chuckled. The last alias Harry had was still alive in his mind, even though the memories connected to it weren’t as great and happy.

“Too 101 Dalmatians,” Harry pointed out, and there was this pleasant humour in his voice again, making Eggsy smile back.

“I can’t understand why Merlin was so lazy to think of first names too,” he mumbled after, looking up to the first gate they were passing. Everything was so fancy it reminded him of all those posh people during his Kingsman training, with the dress code and titles, while he appeared there like he just crawled out of the underground to steal some spotlight.

“I believe it was out of practical use, of us not at least being afraid of slipping with the first name calling,” the older agent suggested, motioning towards one of the doors. “And I believe he had some sadistic pleasure of keeping us in Harry and Gary fashion as well.”

“Good ol’ Merlin.”

The interior of the school greeted them in cold, clinically old fashion that for a moment Eggsy thought of Hogwarts, just waiting for someone flying on a broomstick around them. The hallway was packed with young people and he was aware they were getting looks right the moment they entered. But Harry led them without hesitation, his steps long and sure, and in such pace they arrived to the headmaster’s office in quite short time with Harry knocking on the wooden door with three, rhythmic knocks.

Eggsy took a deep breath before entering, his heart pounding in his chest like crazy, and just followed Harry’s broad back, repeating all the aliases and learned degrees in his head, almost frantically.

It was funny, really. He was so sure of himself while infiltrating Valentine’s _party_ , but school made him nervous as hell, and he wasn’t even in the class yet.

“Mr. DeWitt and Mr. Everett I assume?” a deep, rumbly voice greeted them and Eggsy’s eyes immediately focused on an old guy behind the mahogany desk. He had a beard and short, silver hair, and for a moment Eggsy felt his heart skipping a beat with catching a glimpse of vengeful Chester sitting there, grinning at them. It was gone the moment it appeared though and Eggsy shook his head and forced himself to calm down.

“Professor Swanton,” Harry immediately hosted his role and approached the man right when he got up with extended hand. When he shook Eggsy’s hand, the blond had to suck in breath for how unexpectedly strong the man’s grip was, and how energetic the handshake had been.

“Welcome to the Newcastle University,” he greeted them both with pleased expression, like they were what he expected, and it made Eggsy a little calmer. “I’m pleased you’ve decided to join our staff, you’ll definitely find this place has much to offer, even with your qualifications and experience.”

“I’m sure of it,” Harry replied with a polite nod, acting like a professional. Eggsy was just hoping that all those stupid degrees Merlin gave him wouldn’t be needed recited anywhere. He could barely remember them. “We are eager to learn about your education system since we heard so much about you.”

“That’s great to hear,” the headmaster joined his hands behind his back and offered both of them a seat. Eggsy fell into the opposite one of Harry and it could at least help him to get his heartbeat back to normal. “I’ve already arranged the orientation lessons, as well as your tour, and the flat in the campus. Are you sure you don’t mind it’s only one place…?”

“It’s quite alright, professor,” Harry assured him and Eggsy wondered if it was time to act and do some meaningful gesture somehow. A quick touch or a phrase that would tell the man they were together, but nothing really came to mind and his body was like paralyzed, unable to reach out. Swanston looked at both of them separately, but when they didn’t add anything else, he apparently let it go and reached for two papers on his desk.

“The roster is firmly set, and I thought from my own experience the simple school tour and some breathing room would do you better than going straight to the lesson observing, although I’m not stopping you from doing so,” he gave both of them one of the lists, revealing it was an orientation plan of lessons and their _instructors_. Eggsy had the name of a woman in there, a math teacher named Angela Cyders that got scheduled the joined lessons with him on the next day, starting at 10 AM. Her time table was kinda hectic, and he wondered if he was going to cover _all_ of it, or just half so she could take a breather. Which would definitely be preferable – if he had to be on _all_ the classes written there, he wouldn’t do anything else, less playing a lover to Harry or searching for a culprit.

“Much appreciated,” Harry nodded, always in control, and glanced at Eggsy with relaxed expression. How the hell was he doing that?

“If you have any questions, me or any other teacher in the school would gladly help you out,” professor Swanton assured them while returning back to his table and taking the phone. “I’ll call your instructors now, so you can get acquainted.”

Eggsy fidgeted and stole a peak of Harry reading through his roster like he was really into it, while Swanton started talking on the phone. The older agent didn’t seem even a little nervous that he was going to actually _teach_ people, let them _watch_ his every move, but then again what, literature? Psh, easy as pie. But fucking math… ematics, that was another story and Eggsy could barely remember things he used to learn before. Hopefully the class won’t be big – it was _math_ after all, people were usually avoiding it, right?

“They are _finally_ here?” a croaky voice interrupted his thoughts and he almost shot up at it, quickly looking towards the door where three people were standing, stretching their necks to see at him and Harry, and Eggsy wanted to curse a lot at that moment. Two of them were really, really old, like, if the crazy cat woman from the hotel was old, this witch standing there was probably _ancient_. She had really truculent expression, like she hated the whole world, was small and scrawny and actually clothed like she just set down off her broomstick and left her black cat on the window. What was the worst – she had been staring at _him_ quite intently, like she was trying to curse him somehow.

An old man next to her was about half her ancient age, so around 100, and Eggsy was surprised there wasn’t white, long beard on him. He had a brown, raggedy suit and reading glasses and Eggsy would bet he still thought it’s 1900.

The third person was a younger lady, thank god, about 30 or so, in a sporty clothes and short, almost boyish black hair. He would say she was maybe a PE teacher, if there even was PE, or at least somebody who really liked to be outside rather than stay locked somewhere. It was also her who approached them first, all big smiles and sparkly eyes, and introduced herself as Hannah Richmond, their _guide_.

Which meant the old hag was Angela Cyders. The math teacher. _His_ instructor.

“Fuck my life,” he mumbled, but thankfully only Harry heard him, since he sent him a reprimanding look and even poked him to the ribs. Well, he wasn’t in any better situation, Eggsy thought, watching Gandalf shuffling from door to them.

“What a young fella!” Dumbledore smiled at him almost happily and it was probably the first time Eggsy felt self-conscious about his too low age here. God, he should have let Roxy to come, this was disaster. “Will sprite us oldies up at least!”

“Ya, my main goal, innit,” he announced, almost afraid to squeeze that bony hand too hard or he would break something there and tried to ignore how Harry was observing him intently.

_A teacher, you’re a teacher, yea. You got this, just act like a colossal maths nerd and all is gonna be good._

“Mister Everett is your helping hand, Angela,” Swanton took Eggsy around his shoulders and shook him like a thunder. “Be sure to show him all the schematics and learning plans before throwing him to the hungry predators in your classes.”

“I thought you’re a new student,” she croaked, looking at him doubtfully and Eggsy forced down the urge to roll his eyes and throw her a middle finger. _Old habits die hard._

“And mister DeWitt will take half of your literature classes, Herbert,” the headmaster turned to Gandalf and Eggsy had to bite his lip to stop the laughter. _Herbert_. _It fits_.

“You don’t know how glad I’m to hear that!” the wizard from Oz exclaimed, shaking hands with Harry as well (a complete shake fest, Eggsy thought, always the most awkward moment from arriving to the new place where eighties ruled it and required etiquette). “Since the school re-opened, the classes are literally flooded with students!”

“The reconstruction increased the capacity of the University,” Swanton explained to them with a proud smile. “That’s why we are trying to reach for new additions to our staff to keep the quality of our school high.”

“Was about time,” the witch of the wilds grumbled, eying Eggsy like he was an alien and she wasn’t sure if she should greet him with a hello or a gun in his face. “Now what, are we going to stand and talk the whole day or are we going to get things done?”

“I thought Hannah should give them a tour first,” Swanton pointed out, and _yes_ , Eggsy thought in panic, _a tour first, please, don’t leave me alone with her or I’ll leave like a frog!_

“Nonsense,” she waved her skinny hand and _fuck_ , she reached for him, seizing him by his shoulder. “You gotta throw them to the water to teach them how to swim!”

All he could do was to send one panicked glance towards Harry and the next thing he knew was how she dragged him through the hallway to a classroom.

He was so done for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Unf, so much dialogues again, lol. But yay for guys in suits! <3  
> Now swim, Eggsy. Swim!


	5. Math-ematics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Having three classes by the way,” he informed the older agent with a sigh. “I swear to god she’s waiting for me to slip, so she could put me in an oven and cook me on medium raw.”  
> “Medium or raw?”  
> “Medium raw,” Eggsy grumbled, sinking lower in his chair when Herbert sent him a glance over the rim of the book. “I swear to god, if this is some retired mafia mob over here, I wouldn’t be even surprised.”

Eggsy always thought maths was usually very unpopular subject. If the school wasn’t focused solely on technical or scienc-y things, and maths wasn’t mandatory, there were only few lost souls attempting to get under the hard shell of it.

Eggsy was good in maths, alright. He never had problems, he understood the basics, he could work with advanced levels and he could crack some hard problems as well if he actually stopped thinking about BS and focused. But he definitely hadn’t been keen on passing free time with equations, that for sure.

Who would, right?

Maybe this was also a reason why he got absolutely mute when Maleficent-1000-years-later opened the door leading to the classroom, which happened _not_ to be a classroom at all but a lecture hall with seats all the way to the back and a huge blackboard in front, and because Eggsy was an unlucky bastard, there wasn’t three or four poor sods waiting – it was at least twenty of them. And all of them _stared_ at them when they entered, and even though he was clothed in his agent suit, he felt fucking _naked_.

In short: a nightmare.

“Well, fuck me,” he breathed out, looking back at them, and wasn’t even surprised by the laughter that followed, and an unhappy glare he got from his instructor.

“Sorry,” he quickly added and she motioned him to go to the board while she approached her table and scratched something to the note book she had opened there.

“Go on, “ she croaked at him when he remained standing there stiffly, feeling like a student that just got pulled to the board for quick 20 question and F ready to be given. “Introduce yourself at least. _Youngsters these days…_ ”

He couldn’t stop the eye roll even if he wanted to, but did what he was told anyway.

“So…” he started, clearing his throat a little. “I’m Gary Everett and I should be teaching you from now on. Or at least somebody.”

“You’ll have this class,” Angela finally stopped with the scratching. “As well as two more. We have just been in the middle of laplace transform in differential equations, so why don’t you continue from there?”

“ _Laplace transform_ ,” he repeated dryly, his mind reeling. _The fuck_? “Where did you end with explanation?”

“We are past explanation now,” she eyed him warily and gestured towards the blackboard. When he turned around, it almost knocked him over for how much _fucking rubbish_ was written there, the handwriting was atrocious, but even if it wasn’t it wouldn’t make it any prettier. The space was halfway full with equations already, and so crazy looking he wanted to call it BS and go play right hand man to Harry, even if he would just carry his books.

“Lovely,” he uttered, skimming from number to letter until she was suddenly standing next to him, handing him the white chalk. 

“I’m sure you can see the problem we have here,” she pointed at the mess in the left corner, apparently one equation and not just smudges as he thought at first. “There was a question what if n is not a positive integer? If not, what will be the Laplace Transform?”

Eggsy stared at the board for a moment, eyes wide and every letter and number mixing together like a big mash of potatoes splattered over it, and everything that was going through his head sounded like _fuck my life, fuck my life, fuck Merlin who fucked my life, fuck it all_ with zero sense coming to him from the equation, and seriously, whose fucking idea was to actually put him as a math teacher!

“Mister Everett…” the old hag’s voice infiltrated his terror and multiplied it, until his hand finally moved up, towards the surface, and the chalk started to scrape over it, his eyes skimming from letter to letter, putting it together like pieces of puzzle, trying and testing, and wait, this was actually _logical_ , it made sense, didn’t it.

It just flooded easily, somehow, all adding up and suddenly he was done, underlining the result twice in sure movement of his hand and then taking deep breath and looking at Angela challengingly, just to be greeted with a blank stare and a shrug.

“Sit in the back, Mister Everett. Take this work sheet with you and observe _quietly_ ,” she pushed a paper into his hand and gestured towards the audience. He smiled at her, because why the hell not, being cheeky was his trademark, and left the board just to walk up to the highest row of seats in the room and sat there. Relatively close to him was sitting a pair of girls, watching him, so he winked at them, earned cute smiles and looked into his new work.

It was gibberish and he hated his life.

***

“Sorry, literature and history class with Professor Herbert?”

A young girl spun around, almost hit him in the face with her ponytail, and then blinked in surprise at the sight of him.

“Stairs up, to the right,” she said simply, watching him in wonder. “Are you new? I’ve never seen you before.”

“I’m good at hiding,” he offered a smile and bowed a little. “Thanks for the directions!”

She stammered something like _bowtie_ , but it didn’t make much sense, so he left it be and ran up the stairs, just to find the right doors and peeked in.

It was a bigger room as well, although not so perched up, and Eggsy immediately spotted Gandalf sitting behind the desk, reading something with his raggedy voice until he noticed the blond looking in and stopped.

“Sorry, I’m just here for Harry,” Eggsy cringed at the sudden attention, and the old man nodded somewhere in front of him, so the young man entered the classroom just to see Harry sitting at one of the corner seat in the first row, one leg crossed on the other, pen in hand, scribbling something on the paper. There was a lot more students than in his class, which was a little unnerving to cross the room while they all watched like radars, but Eggsy just shrugged it off and quickly landed next to his mentor, offering a small, apologetic smile.

“Good to see you didn’t get cursed,” Harry said a little teasingly and Eggsy supressed a groan fighting its way up. He must have been saying the thing with a frog out loud, for fuck’s sake.

“Was a close call,” he shot back, dropping his voice as low as he could. “She almost hit me with her broomstick.”

“You appear intact,” Harry checked him over as if he was really looking for injuries and Eggsy grinned and fished the paper she gave him out of his pocket.

“Having three classes by the way,” he informed the older agent with a sigh. “I swear to god she’s waiting for me to slip, so she could put me in an oven and cook me on medium raw.”

“Medium or raw?”

“Medium raw,” Eggsy grumbled, sinking lower in his chair when Herbert sent him a glance over the rim of the book. “I swear to god, if this is some retired mafia mob over here, I wouldn’t be even surprised.”

“How about your maths practice?” Harry chuckled and leaned a little closer, his voice barely a whisper, and Eggsy realized this was why they were here – a couple stuff, yeah? – so he leaned a little closer too, their legs touching and fine, it was actually fine, nothing strange so far.

“Nailed it,” he whispered back. “But there is like 20 people there. I expected five.”

“Gentlemen,” Dumbledore’s voice rose a little, quieting them down like a pair of elementary school kids, and Harry nodded in apology and stopped talking. The touch stayed though, and Eggsy decided he didn’t mind, so he just leaned back to his chair and keep the contact up as well.

***

“Sorry for the interruption, Professor,” Harry apologized the first thing when the lesson ended and the crowd of students started hesitantly flooding out of the classroom. Eggsy thought they seemed like they were waiting for something more, so he showed them raised thumbs and it usually drew some smiles from them at least. “First day at school made us curious.”

“Keep up good manners and everything is going to be alright,” Professor Herbert replied and Eggsy couldn’t stop himself from saying it, even when he saw Harry getting that _no Eggsy_ look.

“Manners Maketh Man, innit?”

“Excellent, Mister Everett,” Herbert praised him and then handed Harry stack of papers. “I believe today was probably boring for you, Professor Dewitt, but these are the plans for this semester, as well as the roster you’re going to need. Do you want more observation classes or are you feeling up for a challenge?”

“Harry’s a leading man, he needs to be on top all the time,” Eggsy immediately responded, making Harry’s breath hitch a little in his throat. “Not to mention an excellent swimmer! You throw him there and he will swim, so don’t worry.”

“Is that so?” Gandalf seemed pleased by such revelation, like he just got rid of some heavy weight on his shoulders. Seeing their rosters he probably needed the help. “I’m very pleased to hear that. If we can split classes, I’d be very grateful, Professor Dewitt.”

“Of course,” Harry finally nodded, looking through the papers thoughtfully. “The red classes are mine I take it?”

“If you won’t mind,” the old teacher agreed and Eggsy peeked over Harry’s shoulder to see it. It seemed they were usually at different times than his maths ones, which was pretty cool. Seeing Harry teach would make an excellent memory to his collection, probably right next to Harry kicking butts in the pub (he was very fond of that one, if it was recorded, he would play it before going to sleep every night).

“Not at all,” Harry assured him and with that Gandalf happily shuffled away, leaving the room abandoned, just with two of them there. Eggsy couldn’t stop grinning, even though Harry looked so sour-faced. 

“Eggsy-,”

“Oh my god, that little breath hitch!” Eggsy bounced on his feet, smiling from ear to ear, and Harry opened his mouth to say something, but then thought better of it and remained silent. “Oh c’mon, creating you a nice, dominant position, isn’t that a good thing?”

“Yes, most definitely,” the older agent sighed in exasperation and looked to his papers again with a little frown.

“Oh… you didn’t want to teach yet maybe?” Eggsy sobered quickly, realizing he pushed the man into it without even asking, and the hell, maybe Harry had other plans first? Use the free time differently, check the perimeter? “Fuck, you didn’t, did ya.”

“It’s alright,” Harry mumbled, folding the paper and putting it to his breast pocket. “I thought I’ll just look around a bit first, but the classes aren’t as often, so there shouldn’t be delay anyway.”

Eggsy made a face and his hand immediately latched on Harry’s sleeve, pulling a little. He knew that tone, even if Harry said _alright_ , his voice was tight and a little unhappy and Eggsy was already too well acquainted with it he recognized the disruption in there.

“Sorry.”

“I told you it’s alright,” Harry looked at the hand and back at Eggsy’s face, all serious, and crap, he was mad, wasn’t he. He was so, so mad.

“But…” Eggsy tried, a little out of words, because really, Harry was hard to read sometimes, but this, _this_ he knew well after that fiasco with JB and all. He didn’t even need to tell him now, he just heard it in the tone. “I shouldn’t have assumed…”

“Well, I need to be on top all the time after all,” Harry shrugged, and wow, there was that quirk on his mouth and that little smile that actually told volumes of how not mad he actually was, and Eggsy snorted and released his sleeve with a little laugh, the nice, relieved feeling coursing through him happily.

“You totes liked it, don’t lie,” he pointed at the older man with a fake accusation, falling into the pleasant rhythm again. “Having me under your thumb like that, ha.”

“You mean I usually do not?” Harry countered quickly, folding his arms on his chest, and Eggsy sputtered and had to clear his throat before speaking. Cheating bastard.

“Maybe,” he just croaked, eyes skimming to the side. “The class is pretty big, eh. Lots of students.”

“It’s literature and history after all,” Harry smoothly slid into different topic as well, even though that little smirk on his face stayed. “Those are usually frequently visited.”

“No pressure,” the blond chuckled and sat on the edge of the table, eying the room slowly. “The math class is _huge_. It’s like there should be a hundred of people and that scares me.”

“But you did well,” Harry opposed, apparently hearing the insecurity in Eggsy’s voice. “Where is a difference if there is five or hundred when you know how to do it?”

“Five pair of eyes and hundred pair of eyes; you seriously don’t feel the difference?” Eggsy glanced at him, seeing how Harry rested next to him with thoughtful expression.

“Not really. When there is only one, it’s usually more pressuring,” he concluded after a moment. “How did it even go?”

“Oh, right,” Eggsy stood up properly again. “So we came there, yeah? And there was like twenty of people, fucking _staring_ , and I was like: fuck this shite, what equals one plus one? No fucking clue!”

“Language.”

“Yeah, so,” Eggsy stuck his tongue at the man and trotted towards the blackboard. “I was standing there, and the board was _full_ of rubbish, like, I thought she just smudged it all over, but nah, all her fucking equations! And she was all like: _hah, you bloody loser, tell them your shite name and all, and then solve this fapfap equation for us!_ ”

“Solve what now?” Harry raised an eyebrow, watching him from the table with curiosity, and Eggsy waved his hand.

“Fuck if I know, sounded like… fap-something transformation? Anyway,” he quickly positioned himself in front of the board, reaching for the chalk. “Standing here, yah, looking at that shite, thinking how screwed I am, and how I’d just go and kick Merlin to his shin – by the way, if I’m going to get stomped to the ground by the Witch of the Wilds, I want you to assure that Merlin will never be bald again, like in his fucking life! Hair, so much hair.”

“Is that even a punishment?” the older man tilted his head to the side, seemingly very amused, and Eggsy turned back to him and nodded.

“He’s so proud of his shiny head, it would _ruin_ him,” he confirmed it and shifted back to the blackboard. “So I’m standing in front of that rubbish, she asks for that fap-theory and I’m praying for the Mary and Joseph and whatever, and then she goes like _Mr. Everett, ya fucking shite of a person_ -,”

“She did _not_ ,” Harry interrupted him with a groan and Eggsy flashed him a cheeky grin.

“ _-shite of a person, you solve this thing or you go home_! So I started do _something_ , like, I dunno, this seemed like it should go there, and that there, letter, number, whatever, who knows what her fap things are, just there, a result, twice the scratch and I’m done and looking back at her and she just stares back at me, and all I could do was fucking pat myself on a shoulder, cuz I _naaaaailed it_!” He threw the chalk to the air and caught it with a victorious smile and when he turned back, Harry was watching him with such fondness it made him beam at him happily.

“Good job, _Mr. Everett_ ,” Harry praised the boy softly. “You earned yourself a nice, teaching title, as well as respect of your instructor.”

“How about yours?” Eggsy opposed, all cocky and sauntering towards the agent with a full swing of his hips, and Harry smiled at him warmly.

“You always had mine, Eggsy.”

“Flatterer,” the blond smirked, meek now, like it almost humbled him, and Harry’s smile persisted, which was the nicest fucking thing he saw these past few months of his recovery.

“Anytime,” he just replied and Eggsy wanted to say something classy, if it didn’t suddenly hit him.

“Of course,” he groaned, “ _anytime_! Fucking _bowtie…_ ”

Harry’s confused expression was worth another laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Thank you, DarlingWithDimples for that retired mafia mob reference, I laughed so hard I just had to put it there, you're genius! :D  
> Also.. yeah :D Teaching, wooo :D  
> Sorry for that lame math, I suck at it, i have no idea what is Laplace transform, and if it's something super basic, I sincerily apologize :D


	6. Thick Walls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’ll send Merlin a fruit basket with a bomb in it,” he replied steadily after, avoiding his eyes from the older man. It was strange to imagine how they would actually sleep like this. Him being usually all over the bed, now probably going for the heat and hugging the shite out of the man, and Harry getting annoyed by Eggsy’s constant sleep-talking or fidgeting or, god forbid, morning wood digging into him – geez, no, not a chance, that would be the most deadly situation ever, something Eggsy wouldn’t be able to talk his way out of, that would mortify him to the point of no return.

“Are you sure this place will be enough for both of you?”

Eggsy was just counting to ten to stop the internal screaming and planning Merlin’s murder when she asked, and he possibly couldn’t answer without sounding like someone stepped on his foot. Harry was in front of him, all he could see was his broad back and stiff posture, and Hannah Richmond at the side of the small double bed that would probably be enough for Eggsy alone with his tendency to sprawl, but definitely _not_ for _both of them_ without the unnecessary touching.

The whole flat was small-ish - two rooms, from which one was the bedroom including this small place to sleep, few wardrobes and a big window letting the light in. One of the walls was askew, such as an attic flat went, and the rest almost clinically white. The second room included the kitchen and probably a living room together, with a table and few chairs, and a small bathroom behind another door, in a little hallway. It reminded him of a cheap hotel room, which was nothing bad, really, if it wasn’t mean for two grown up men.

Miss Richmond seemed a little nervous when she watched them staring at the bed, and he had to admit she had a reason for it. Eggsy tried to look casual, like it was no biggie, but he had the bad feeling it didn’t work.

“It’s perfect, thank you, Miss Richmond,” Harry was the first who bounced back from the initial surprise and his shoulders dropped the tension gradually, turning a bit towards Eggsy as if he wanted to make sure.

“Yeah, ‘s good,” Eggsy piped, not really trusting himself to make longer speech, and Hannah glanced at the bed one more time, then to them like she was trying to picture them there (and Eggsy tried it too and it was a disaster, Harry was going to hate him for it till the end of his life).

“Alright,” she just said, leaving the topic alone, and Eggsy knew this was a perfect opportunity to show her they were a pair, somehow, even with a stupid touch, but his body refused to move, too stunned. He was so going to get Merlin for this, he would actually even yell at him if it wouldn’t be heard at the neighbours. “Well, this concludes our tour, is there anything else you’d like to know?”

“How thick are the walls?” he asked automatically and Hannah stiffened and _stared,_ Harry raised an eyebrow and Eggsy had to take a double take before he realized what the fuck he just asked. “I mean…”

“Try not to be too vocal?” she tried, a little nervously. “I mean, neighbours are pretty liberate, so there shouldn’t be any shaming or anything, but you know how it is when people wants to sleep and…”

“No no no, I meant-,”

“We’ll be quiet, Miss Richmond,” Harry stepped in and suddenly there was a hand on Eggsy’s shoulder, stilling him in a firm, unforgiving grip, and Eggsy shut up, grateful for the intervention and completely mortified.

“Alright,” she nodded and cleared her throat, trying to look anywhere but at them. “If you need anything, you can always call me. I left the number on the table.”

“Much appreciated,” the older agent smiled at her charmingly, damn that guy, and she left the flat all flushed and in hasty pace.

They remained silent for a solid minute, listening to her footsteps retreating, until there could be only them breathing heard, and Harry glanced back at the boy.

“How thick are the walls?” he repeated Eggsy’s question and the blond groaned and fell onto the bed like a sack of potatoes, face first. Well, at least it seemed comfortable enough, not like falling onto a rock and going unconscious.

“I meant cuz of calling Merlin,” he mumbled into a pillow and then rolled to his back, staring into the ceiling. “Now she thinks we are some kinky pair of weirdos who scream profanities while having sex, fuck my life.”

“Well, for one, it sort of fulfilled the expectation,” Harry offered, watching the boy with a smile. “Although it could have been delivered more… delicately.”

“If Merlin would be so nice and actually got us a better bed!” Eggsy hollered, hitting the mattress with his fist. It bounced back effortlessly.

“The bed seems alright,” Harry opposed and Eggsy moved to the side of the mattress and patted the place next to him.

“Then try it, come here,” he ordered the older man stubbornly. “If it’s so alright, try to lie here with me.”

Harry seemed like wanted to shrug it off, but then he actually shed down his jacket and climbed atop of the bed like it was completely normal, lying on his back right next to Eggsy, looking up to the ceiling.

“It’s very narrow,” he concluded after a moment. Eggsy had the _no shit Sherlock_ on the tip of his tongue, but swallowed it down and just let out a long breath. They were lying next to each other like two logs, they arms touching, their thighs pressed together, and there was no other space where to get away from the contact, no inch to spare.

“I have a bed big like this at home,” Eggsy mumbled. “And it’s so-so for me alone.”

“That’s hard to imagine,” Harry commented, sounding amused. “How do you sleep?”

“Sprawled all over it,” Eggsy admitted, fidgeting a little, just to make sure that they were really pressed together without even a little bit of reserve. They were. “I sleep like a log, how I crash, that way I wake up, but I just _need_ the space.”

“I usually wake up at a tiniest noise,” Harry said simply, glancing at Eggsy with all innocence, like he was saying sorry in advance. “Probably occupational illness.”

“Oh,” Eggsy mumbled, looking back at him a little taken back. He never knew Harry had such light sleeping – but then again, where would he get that information anyway. When he actually saw him _sleep_ , it was a coma, and that wasn’t something he wanted to maul over. “I talk in my sleep sometimes.”

“Sounds like we are perfect roommates,” Harry chuckled, taking a deep breath and looking back into the ceiling. Eggsy watched how his chest raised and fell down again, an unmistakable proof of life residing in him, and it was sort of nice, like hearing him breathe was the most calming sound ever.

“I’ll send Merlin a fruit basket with a bomb in it,” he replied steadily after, avoiding his eyes from the older man. It was strange to imagine how they would actually sleep like this. Him being usually all over the bed, now probably going for the heat and hugging the shite out of the man, and Harry getting annoyed by Eggsy’s constant sleep-talking or fidgeting or, god forbid, morning wood digging into him – geez, _no_ , not a chance, that would be the most deadly situation ever, something Eggsy wouldn’t be able to talk his way out of, that would mortify him to the point of no return.

“Eggsy,” Harry’s voice flooded his hearing and he realized he had been gnawing on his lower lip kinda painfully now. “If this is a problem-,”

“It’s not a problem,” the blond quickly shook his head. “I guess. In theory. It’s… not a problem.”

There was no couch to sleep on. Only on the floor, which sounded painfully unappealing.

“I’ll just keep waking you up. And probably press into you a lot. And you’re going to hate me for it and then we will end up awkward and embarrassed, or maybe even antagonistic, and Merlin would make fun of us and Roxy would…” he stopped, realizing it could have been Roxy here, lying with Harry on this fucking small bed, and it pang him somewhere in his chest unpleasantly and made him shut up, staring into the ceiling with a quirked eyebrow.

“Turn to your side,” the older man said resolutely and Eggsy did without a single question, like his body reacted by itself to the voice, programmed to heed the command without doubt. He faced the wall with a frown, how he suddenly realized what exactly he just did, until he felt Harry angling himself as well, basically spooning him, and his tall, lean frame fitted perfectly, almost eerily so.

“Huh,” Eggsy let out, blinking rapidly at the arm that sneaked around his waist, holding him like a cage. Eggsy stared at the long, slim fingers casually resting on his stomach like they belonged there, and the heavy weight that pressed into him from behind was so unfamiliar he had a hard time processing that properly. It was a strange confinement, it made him nervous and probably tense, but it was warm and surprisingly easy to just lie there without a single movement, too aware of Harry being just _there_ , noticing Eggsy’s every move that way.

“Seems do-able,” he heard Harry rumbling softly, and then the hand disappeared, the warmth retreated, and the bed moved again. “Turn the other way.”

Eggsy glanced back, seeing Harry slowly lying down on his other side, his back to the blond, and he gulped loudly before actually positioning himself as Harry did just a moment ago, spooning him in reverse, feeling terribly clumsy while doing so.

Harry was surprisingly solid. Not that Eggsy expected him to be somehow squishy or anything, but it still surprised him anyway that under the shirt he already felt firm muscles and when he actually swung his arm around his waist like Harry did to him before, it definitely felt _trained_. But then again, it was Harry after all, always in motion, always graceful, ready to kick butts. He wouldn’t probably even have time to get some squishy parts with such lifestyle.

“Are we going to spoon?” Eggsy asked, puffing air over Harry’s neck, his hair tickling him, and the older man chuckled and his body moved again, this time sitting up, making Eggsy to release his hold.

“I think we need to find a position comfortable enough to share the bed,” he said lightly, glancing at the blond. “I’m sure we will manage.”

“Sure,” Eggsy scrambled up, sitting next to his mentor almost shyly. “Who could say they spooned with Harry Hart and could tell the tale, eh?”

“Charming.”

Eggsy grew quiet for a moment, his mind reeling at such concept, but Harry seemed so unfazed by it he couldn’t help but think this wasn’t a big deal at all. It would be, probably, if Roxy would here with Eggsy. She would definitely kick him off the bed, wouldn’t she. Probably not Harry though, maybe she would be too respectful to mind, but then again – Harry was a proper gentleman, would he even attempt to sleep like this with her?

“I can hear your brain working overtime,” Harry commented suddenly, his face a pure amusement, and Eggsy cringed and tried to shut his mind down somehow.

It didn’t really work.

“Was just wondering what if Roxy would be here instead of me,” he blurted out lamely, and when Harry watched him without any indication he would answer or elaborate, Eggsy shook his head and offered an apologetic smile. “Stupid thought, never mind.”

Harry hummed, like he actually contemplated if he should answer, but in the end remained quiet and stood up, reaching for his jacket.

“Shall we go look around?” he asked after a moment, looking at the younger man with blank expression, and Eggsy nodded and stood up as well, his body strangely heavy and unsated, like it wanted to stay in the bed for a bit longer.

“Good idea,” he replied quickly, shaking off that weird, unsatisfied feeling that bloomed inside of his chest, and followed his mentor outside the small flat, trying not to imagine how exactly the first night was going to unfold. He still felt he was going to end up on the hallway, kicked off the bed, or maybe with a spoon stuck in his throat.

He couldn’t stop thinking that Merlin did it on purpose, that sly fox, just for shite and giggles, to have some blackmail material or anniversary footage to show his grandkids (wait, was he even married? Eggsy didn’t even know).

Or maybe just him and Roxy really wanted him to suffer, and he was such a tit to actually grant them that wish.

“Harry,” he said when they were slowly descending the stairs, and the agent stopped in the middle of it, turning to the boy in silent question. “Is a butt touching in public considered too obscene?”

He never saw Harry laughing this hard before. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Well, ofc I'm this cliché person who just had to make them sleep in a tiny bed together, yeah? xD But I just couldn't pass the opportunity :D


	7. Lovingly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What, not a fan?” Eggsy pushed again, his hand automatically curling around Harry’s elbow, like it was completely natural to touch like this. “Of noisy, wet kisses?”  
> “A gentleman doesn’t kiss like that,” Harry pointed out, making Eggsy roll his eyes with boring on the tip of his tongue, until Harry just easily added: “In public.”  
> “Oh, so in private you do?”

“It’s nice to see new blood in here,” a young-ish lady said, smiling seductively, and Eggsy felt like she couldn’t look any more inviting. Her long, blond hair was falling over her shoulders, along the deep cleavage and bare arms, and Eggsy could only stare in silent wonder at how bold she actually was, leaning into Harry’s personal space without shame. Eggsy probably never saw any better interpretation of _heart eyes_ than now, with her batting her eyelashes at the man, and really, was she even trying to be subtle?

They had been walking around the University for half an hour before they finally reached the teachers’ common room, just to meet with several professors there they hadn’t seen before, and among them this blond lady that made Eggsy seriously doubt her common sense – and that was enough said when it was coming from him. Harry kept his distance though, something Eggsy was grateful for, and the mandatory shake-fest took them just a slice of the time they spent in the room. Eggsy wasn’t even sure if he remembered the names properly for how they had been throwing them at him and Harry both.

Thankfully there were also younger people now, not just fossils that escaped from Lord of The Rings, and Eggsy ran out of nicknames for them. Well, except for that blond bimbo. She earned the honour to be a sodding Barbarella.

“Professor Herbert already needed a help with the classes, this year got a little wild,” another teacher said – a small man with probably the same amount of hair as Merlin, although not as graceful (Eggsy seriously hoped Merlin would never learn he thought of him as kinda classy, he would never hear the end of it). “Not to mention the math classes… how old are you again, Mr. Everett?”

Eggsy bit back the unsavoury retort of _go fuck yourself_ , fed up with the age pointing all the time, and offered a small _I’ll kill you slowly_ smile. It made Harry next to him chuckle, because he knew that expression very well, but for others it was probably just a polite visage, or so he hoped. Judging from their faces he was right.

“Twenty seven,” he replied with the fake age easily and the small man nodded in confirmation, even though he kept on eying him with a strange curiosity in his eyes, like he couldn’t quite place in the right column. “Don’t worry. I’m a fully-fledged teacher by now.”

“I wouldn’t doubt that,” the accuser assured him a little too hastily, like he wasn’t sure himself but didn’t want him to be angry. “Since Angela wasn’t as antagonistic, I thought there must have been something you’ve done right.”

“Is that so,” Eggsy gritted his teeth, remembering the old witch staring at him when she sent him to sit down in the back, like she wanted him to explode soon. He could easily imagine her saying nasty shite about him wherever she went, even though there wasn’t really a reason for it - his consciousness was (almost) clear, even though he had no idea what she talked about half of the time – except that she probably didn’t like he was _too young_ or something equally stupid.

“She’s hard to please,” another teacher chimed in, he hadn’t even seen his face in the crowd. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Too bad I don’t teach literature,” Barbarella echoed, still looking at Harry almost dreamily. “I’m very _easy_ to please.”

 _I can tell_ , Eggsy wanted to say, but bit his tongue instead and his hand reached up to Harry, resting on the small of his back like a possessive vine. Because hey, if he was in a relationship with this guy, he would definitely mind, right? Harry tensed a little at first before glancing at the blond and realizing who had been touching him, and then his body relaxed again, letting the boy keep the contact, even leaning into it.

“It was a pleasure to meet you,” Harry nodded towards them, slowly backing up. “But if you’ll excuse us, we have some more work to do, to catch up before tomorrow’s classes.”

The whole crowd of professors nodded in understanding, and Eggsy could clearly see the blond woman looking right at him with a wonder in her eyes, and he had to push the urge to stick his tongue back at her. It was Harry who touched his shoulder when they were leaving though, like he was assuring him, and it made him a little calmer.

“Sodding whor-,”

“A good reaction,” Harry interrupted him before Eggsy could finish the onslaught, fuming while the door closed behind them. “Thankfully not verbal in front of them though.”

“She must have wanted some,” Eggsy uttered, gulping down the angry remark that was fighting its way up to his lips. “I can’t believe she was so fucking obvious. I was standing right there!”

“She didn’t know about _us_ , did she,” Harry chuckled and his grip on Eggsy’s shoulder eased up, just to slide along boy’s back gently and then disappeared, leaving a burning trail in its wake.

“Doesn’t matter,” the blond grumbled, fidgeting on the spot uncomfortably. “She even said she is _easy_ , for fuck’s sake.”

He wondered if his gesture sent a message to her somehow, if she really noticed. She looked like she probably did, even though Eggsy wasn’t sure how exactly she interpreted it. Miss Richmond definitely knew though, and the memory of _thick walls_ was still haunting him a little. Harry only smiled a little, like it was actually a fun thing and not a _hey, I’m a prostitute!_ logo all over it.

“Bad thing is,” Harry started and his body moved forward, leaving the common room’s door behind him, to dive to the almost empty hallway. “That this place is enormous. There are too many possibilities where to hide somebody, or something.”

“We’ll take it slowly,” Eggsy mumbled, following him closely while noting the wide intersection they reached, dividing the hall into three possible directions. “Since I’m _teaching_ in the side B building, I can start there.”

“Good idea,” Harry nodded in agreement, suddenly stepping closer to the point of them touching by shoulders, and Eggsy immediately spotted two teachers walking past them with a polite expression on their faces, and pressed back. He felt Harry’s hand brushing his and he grinned and sent him a wink.

“Hand holding?” he offered cheekily, glancing at the retreating forms of two women that disappeared behind the corner, and raised his hand, smirking at the older man.

“Very mature,” Harry uttered, not taking the offer on, and Eggsy grinned and let his arm fall. Not that he was expecting they would actually go for it, but it was fun to see him react to it, and just to make a point he shortly squeezed his hand and let go immediately. Harry didn’t really do anything, but Eggsy noticed the pointed look he sent him and it only made him grin wider.

“It’s the best way to show, ya know,” he commented as if he was making a huge point. “Like a brand or somethin’.”

“My point stands,” Harry shrugged and turned to the right, making Eggsy to follow him without breaking the contact between their shoulders. “I think delivering it gentler way is better than blatantly screaming at everyone, or grabbing hands in public.”

“So conservative,” Eggsy teased and they reached another intersection where a group of young girls stood in a circle. Eggsy noticed how they eyed them curiously and he offered them a cheeky smile, earning several giggles back and hushed whispers.

“What would you suggest then?” Harry interrupted his new focus, glancing at him minutely, and Eggsy didn’t even hesitate when he replied with: “Snogging.”

“Of course,” the older agent let out a short sigh, almost exasperated, like he expected it, but still couldn’t really believe it was said.

“What, not a fan?” Eggsy pushed again, his hand automatically curling around Harry’s elbow, like it was completely natural to touch like this. “Of noisy, wet kisses?”

“A gentleman doesn’t kiss like that,” Harry pointed out, making Eggsy roll his eyes with _boring_ on the tip of his tongue, until Harry just easily added: “In public.”

“Oh, so in private you do?”

“Is this only about me?” Harry shot back and Eggsy snorted, meaningfully looking around the almost empty place.

“Who else am I talking to?” he pointed out. “Not to mention you said _gentleman_.”

“That’s a general word.”

“It fits ya,” the blond edged, grinning from ear to ear. “So what. Dirty kisses in private, but a peck maximum when in public? That’s so dry.”

“That’s considerate,” came a response. “Watching two people, how you say, _making out_ in public with an extensive amount of saliva and noises, it’s usually considered uncultivated, not to mention making people uncomfortable.”

“Well, yeah,” Eggsy shrugged, rather not searching through his own memories when he did that with somebody outside, earning unhappy glances from passer-by people. “I guess. But still. This is not 90’s anymore.”

“Yet I found it a common sense,” Harry opposed and well, he probably had a point there, but there was no way Harry was such a puritan, was there. Of course, he looked like was using napkin even when eating an apple, but it was usually the quiet ones, right?

“You never did it?” Eggsy wondered, following him through the tall doors outside on the courtyard. The sun shined brightly and the air was already warm, and he felt an urge to go for a run, at least for an hour, just to get some of the warmth to his chilled bones. “With somebody you liked a lot? Like, ya now. Couldn’t help yourself?”

“Not outside,” Harry replied simply, not even sparing a glance. His pace quickened a little, like he was trying to get away from the topic somehow, and it only made Eggsy interested even more.

“Angel in the streets, devil in the sheets?” the smirk on Eggsy’s face was back, taunting the man happily, and he noticed how Harry’s mouth twitched in supressed smile. At least a small victory.

“Silence means yeees,” he just chimed and Harry pretended not to hear him.

Smart bastard.

***

Going for a run was the best thing he could do. Telling Harry he would check the outside area and then just let his mind get cleared, let all thoughts disappear, just listening to his heart thrumming in his veins and breathing in synchronization with his steps, no worries, just the pleasant ache that flooded his body.

He was running for an hour and half, staying in the area of the school like he promised, and it made him a lot happier when he got back to the university again and his body was comfortably spent.

Right the moment he entered the campus, he noticed Barbarella just exiting the main building, her skirt short and heels high, and when she spotted him as well, all sweaty and in his running clothes, she had such strange expression on her face he wanted to go to her and demand the reason for it. Apparently it was her idea as well though, because she suddenly started walking towards him, her heels clicking loudly against the sidewalk, until she was standing in front of the boy, eying him suspiciously.

“Mister Everett, was it?” she started, her eyes focused solely on him, and Eggsy just nodded, his breath still a little ragged from the run, probably not making the best appearance at that moment.

“I’ve wanted to apologize for my behaviour,” she surprised him, sounding rather distressed. “I wasn’t aware about you and Professor Dewitt, I didn’t mean to make… a move on your… partner.”

“Oh,” he let out, dumbfounded. “That’s… very considerate of you?”

So in the end she got the memo, wow. A success then. He wasn’t sure if the message was clear enough, but he was apparently a pretty good actor when it came to it.

“If I had known, I’d never… I’m terribly sorry,” she confessed, looking away in distress. “My luck with men is legendary, let me tell you. You’re such a lucky man.”

“Oh,” he repeated lamely.

“I have no idea how I haven’t seen that, he was looking at you so lovingly,” she continued, almost babbling now, and damn, she wasn’t Barbarella at all, maybe she was just Carrie Bradshaw searching for her Mr. Big. “Can you apologize to him on my behalf as well? Such an awkward situation.”

“No harm down,” he assured her, clearing his throat and wow, she seemed really different now. It was a pretty lady, he wouldn’t say the opposite, and he was sure she could score a lot with the approach she tried on Harry before, although maybe in a different territory. Bars should be a good starting point, really. “You couldn’t have known, yeah?”

“Thank you,” she nodded, her lips curling in a grateful smile. “Good luck with your classes, Mister Everett. You seem like you can win over the crowds. You already won over your partner after all.”

He could only laugh awkwardly and when she smiled at him and turned to leave, he waved her goodbye and watched her retreating form until she disappeared in the parking lot.

The strange vibe she got from her – not completely unpleasant, mind you – held onto him all the way up to the apartment where Harry was going through a stack of papers, and Eggsy was kind of afraid to ask him what it was about. It looked more school-like than work-related anyway.

“So,” he said when he entered the living room, having the older agent glance at him briefly. “You watch me lovingly, huh?”

“I beg your pardon?” Harry stopped writing altogether, looking up with wide eyes and Eggsy smirked and made a pose, just because he could. He was sweaty and smelled, and his hair was a mess, the clothes kind of dirty, but hey, he could pull that off still.

“I don’t blame you,” he informed Harry with a laugh, but Harry’s expression didn’t change.

“I’m afraid I’m a little lost?” the agent offered, his work abandoned and Eggsy took pity on him.

“Miss easy blond,” he explained, not really remembering her name. “She apologized for making a move on you. Since you watch me _so lovingly_.”

“Oh,” Harry’s face morphed into his usual calmness again and he returned to the papers. “The act was good then?”

“Superb,” Eggsy nodded, dragging the hoodie over his head, drawing the shirt with it. “So that’s two who know. A good score.”

“Indeed,” Harry agreed simply, glancing up again, as if he was making sure of something. “Shower?”

“Need it,” Eggsy nodded, taking off his socks on his way to the bathroom. “If I won’t come back in half an hour, send a search party! But don’t tell Merlin!”

He could swear he heard something like _no promises_ , but it could have been his imagination.

***

Twenty minutes later he stepped out of a shower and cursed loudly when he realized his mistake. His rumpled, smelly clothes lay on the floor, the towel he took was hugging his hips, and nothing else that could actually help him cover hadn’t been in sight. Of fucking course he didn’t bring any clean clothes with him, and the longer he stood there, the more the cold crept up on him. The towel barely covered his butt, and the whole place wasn’t really naked-friendly, so he mentally apologized to Harry for the flash show, but goddamn, he was chilled to the bone already.

“Sorry!” he announced before he even entered the living room again. “Forgot clothes.”

Harry looked up, blinked, looked him over, blinked again, and then quietly returned to his writing like he saw nothing. Eggsy was kind of grateful for that, because he couldn’t even imagine what kind of comment he could have if he was just a bit less behaved.

Roxy would probably throw something heavy at him.

He heard Harry clearing his throat in the next room just a few seconds after he disappeared in the bedroom to change, and he decided to be selfish and believe it _was_ at least a little because of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Phew, I had so little time these past two days, asdlfjdfjdfdl. Thought I won't be able to finish it today either T^T


	8. Class

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I take it that the rest forty of you is the observation crew as well, innit,” he watched them through his glasses, easily spotting the ones who didn’t belong here now; with the way they fidgeted or grinned like loons. “You must really love math…ematics.”  
> “Of course,” a boy answered this time. “Mathematics.”  
> “Fuck my life,” Eggsy mumbled and took the book up. “Can I just send this shite to you and you’ll tick the attendance for me?”

“This is fucking ridiculous.”

There was a deep sigh coming from next to Eggsy, and it sounded so exasperated he wanted to rewind the time and keep his mouth shut.

“Sleep, Eggsy,” Harry said after a moment, and yeah, he was probably fed up already with Eggsy’s constant tossing and turning and accidentally bumping into the older agent all the time. But seriously, he just couldn’t get his body to rest with Harry’s constant overwhelming presence, and the man wasn’t even doing anything. Harry just lay there on his back, quiet and probably falling asleep until Eggsy bumped into him again, waking him up.

But the bed was so fucking narrow. It was like a coffin for two dead, unmoving bodies– but goddamn, Eggsy wasn’t dead, and Harry wasn’t fucking dead either, so this was an absolute torture. How could Harry even be so calm about this? Eggsy would go nuts if somebody was waking him up all the time, probably use the amnesia darts from his watch to knock them the fuck out, but no, Harry just told him to _sleep_ and that was it.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, turning again on his side, his back to Harry, and forced himself to calm down. He never really had trouble falling asleep, he just lay down and then suddenly woke up in the morning, but today it was _impossible._ “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“Stress, maybe,” Harry replied simply – and he was probably right. There _was_ stress from thinking about tomorrow’s lessons, though it wasn’t like he had to kill somebody or infiltrate a place full of weaponized army. Just bunch of kids, staring at him, waiting for him to perform a superb math explanation and pour equations from his sleeve. No pressure.

“Yeah,” he confirmed it anyway; his body still tight like a string, and the zero possibility of turning around again that overcame him made him even more uncomfortable. He normally didn't even change positions during the night, this was a sodding nightmare.

Suddenly there was a movement behind him, Harry breathing out again like he just got too tired of this shite. Then he pulled Eggsy backwards, directly with the boy’s back against his front, and draped his arm over his stomach holding him in place.

It seriously didn’t help Eggsy to get any calmer. Probably quite the opposite, really.

“Now sleep,” he felt Harry’s breath on his neck and it made him even more tense, his body literally rigid, too afraid to move. If he was waking up the man even without this touching, now he had to _stay up the whole night_ , just to prevent any unnecessary movement.

“And stop thinking,” Harry mumbled again, sounding drowsy and his body heavy against Eggsy’s back – warm and so _alive_. It was strange, really, getting to know Harry like this, since he was usually used to him being sort of…untouchable, almost unapproachable. Not completely, they had always shared some sort of comradery, but this was closer, sort of intimate. It strangely shattered the cold image he always had of Harry, the professional, pristine being that could kill you with a pen. The image was replaced with a guy who slept in comfy pyjamas, who grew tired at the end of the day, and who liked to sleep on his back, unless Eggsy kept on bumping into him that he had to find a way how to still him so he could finally catch some zees. 

“Easy for you to say,” Eggsy grumbled, squashing the desire to wriggle around and bend his legs. Instead he just stayed where he was, evening his breathing with the force of his will, until he heard Harry chuckle and felt him adjust his position. He wasn’t pressed flush against him, but Eggsy could still feel him close, his chest touching his back, and it was weirdly domestic and absolutely unfamiliar. He would never have said Harry was a cuddler before. It seemed too farfetched – if anyone told him about it, he would laugh at them. But here they were, in one small bed, pressed together like two huddled chickens, and it was so _warm_ Eggsy found himself nodding off slowly until there was only silence.

***

“Eggsy.”

“Mhmm?”

There was welcoming warmth and really comfortable surroundings, and there was no way he was going to get up and leave the fantastic nest he found himself in. He buried his face into softness from where it felt the warmest and spread his hands around the place, and it was seriously the best thing ever. It felt safe and smelled good, and he could lie there for _days_.  A steady rhythm was lulling him back to sleep just under his ear, the beating perfectly synchronized with his own.

“Eggsy, you’ll be late for your class”, and it was a deep rumble emitting from the warmth, like a thunder booming all around him, and it finally made him draw back from the haze he had fallen into and slowly realized just where he was.

Draped all around Harry, with his head on Harry’s chest, hands clutching his shirt, and _goddamn_ this wasn’t supposed to happen!

“Oh crap.” he let out, releasing his grip and edging further away, completely mortified, and when he looked at Harry’s face, it almost burned him down in shame. The man was _smiling_ , like he found this overly amusing. His hair was dishevelled, so unlike his normal self, and there was still sleep in the edges of his mouth and corners of his eyes. He never saw him like this, strangely vulnerable and relaxed, like he felt safe.

“Sorry,” the blond mumbled, rubbing his eyes sleepily and reached for the clock on the table, just to find out it was eight in the morning, and his sleep-muddled brain successfully supplied that his first lesson was starting at 8:40.

“I was trying to wake you up for ten minutes, at least,” Harry pointed out, slowly sitting up and running his hand through his messy hair. It was an endearing gesture, so natural and easy it made Eggsy just stare mutely at him, watching the strands fall back into place. Harry supressed a yawn, and then looked at Eggsy curiously.

“I sleep like a log,” the young man blurted out when he realized it was his turn to speak, and pushed himself into a sitting position as well, _praying_ there was no awkward morning wood that could easily occur. He glanced quickly at the general direction and breathed out relief when there was no tent pitching, _thank god_. Harry would probably castrate him for it.

“I’d say like a child,” Harry suggested with a smile, making Eggsy want to immediately quip back at him in defence against these age jokes, but the older agent just calmly added: “Clinging to something and never letting go.”

“Oh,” the blond breathed out. “Yeah, I tend to do that… sorry.”

“Not a problem for me,” Harry shrugged and pointed at the clock. “But you should really start getting ready.”

“Riiiight,” Eggsy drawled and dragged himself out of the bed, his body still drowsy and not wanting to leave the warmth. It wasn’t very early, but he felt the reluctance growing in him the moment his feet touched the carpet. The desire to snuggle back into the blankets – and preferably Harry, as it seems he is the best source of warmth around at the moment– was so painfully tempting.

If Harry noticed his hesitation he didn’t show it when he was getting out of bed as well, passing the young man steadily before Eggsy could even will his ass to move. There was something graceful about the man; not just how he held his body high and proud, or how long his legs were, or how perfectly straight he stood, but in the movement itself, the barely noticeable swing of his hips. Something in it reminded Eggsy of the old movies where men were still gentlemen with manners and grace. 

Of course, he was a Kingsman after all, it came with the training, but Harry was always a bit more than what was required. Eggsy couldn’t really name it or point a finger at it, but it was _there_ , palpable in his quiet, but observant moods, with the light, sensual sense of humour and all the proper ways he acted.

“Mister _Everett_ ,” Harry’s voice flooded his ears and it interrupted his thoughts like a guillotine, forcing him back to the reality at which Harry was standing in between the doors, already in his suit pants and shirt, buttoning up the cuffs with nimble fingers and looking at him quite reproachfully. “You’re seriously going to be _late_.”

Eggsy picked his jaw from the floor and finally moved from the spot.

He had to run to make it to the first lesson.

***

Eggsy had fallen from the sky without a parachute once, or at least that was what he believed when Roxy’s parachute burst open. He thought the adrenaline couldn’t get any higher than when he was hanging in the air, holding onto Roxy for his dear life, while they were speeding down towards the ground, feeling their bones shake and lungs explode when they landed.

It was insane, yeah. But this was so fucking worse.

This was yesterday’s class. The class with twenty people. The class that now somehow had about 60 wide-eyed math-craving students staring at him staring back at them in mute horror. The whole room was fucking _packed_ and he had a fleeting thought of turning back time to re-do the Valentine mission instead, just because he would actually _know_ what he was doing there.

“There was… less of you before,” he noted lamely, awkwardly standing at the door. “I’m pretty sure cloning is still illegal too.”

Laughter echoed the room and it somehow made him even more nervous – they all paid attention to him so intensely he wondered if leaving abruptly would have severe consequences, or he could play off as morning sickness, because Harry made him miraculously pregnant during the night.

Which probably wasn’t a thing he should have been thinking.

“O-kay,” he made his rigid body move towards the table, until he reached the desk and dumped all the stuff the Witch of the Wilds gave him. “Attendance first I guess?”

“I’m here only for observation,” a voice piped suddenly, and he raised his head towards a shy looking girl with pigtails. He didn't really know she wasn’t here yesterday; he didn’t have much time to memorize faces, so this piece of information was a bit useless.

“Me too,” another girl said, this time blond and staring at him almost challengingly. He glanced down at the book with names, seeing there were indeed only about 20 of them written there, and back at the large crowd gathered.

“I take it that the rest forty of you is the observation crew as well, innit,” he watched them through his glasses, easily spotting the ones who didn’t belong here now; with the way they fidgeted or grinned like loons. “You must _really_ love math…ematics.”

“Of course,” a boy answered this time. “ _Mathematics_.”

“Fuck my life,” Eggsy mumbled and took the book up. “Can I just send this shite to you and you’ll tick the attendance for me?”

More laughter, and Eggsy slightly relaxed. Harry would probably kick his butt right now for that fucking language, but he was going to do this his way. He sent the book up anyway, letting people write their names down or make a tick, and settled with the math plan Maleficent left him.

At least there was something she’d done right.

***

“Sorry, I’ll just sneak in.”

The whole class turned to him, and goddamn, there were more of them as well, all long haired, dreamy looking girls that followed him with their big eyes all the way across the class. Harry was partly sitting on the table, his arms crossed and expression, let’s say, pleased, when he saw Eggsy entering. He even gestured for him to come to the desk and sit there – partly because there was basically no free spot left.

What was it today? Was yesterday the national day off and today all of them came to take a look?

“You have it packed here as well,” he noted with a smirk when he rested next to Harry, looking up to the class that watched them like x-ray. “My math class was overflowing.”

“Must be your charming personality,” Harry chuckled and Eggsy grinned, nudging him in return.

“Thought you’d at least say it was my arse, I’m disappointed,” he shot back and Harry looked away, hiding his smirk, and the class _ooohed_ at them.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt your teaching,” Eggsy gestured towards the audience, trying to look like he was really sorry about it, but judging from the amused faces of the students he had failed. “Just came to sneak a peek and kidnap you for lunch when you’re done.”

Harry hummed in agreement and resumed his lesson without a pause. His sound, accented voice immediately made the whole audience focus back solely at him, and Eggsy found himself being drawn to the image as well, studying the person in front of him as if he saw him for the first time. The more he watched him, the more he noticed the shape of his mouth, the little breaths, the changes in his voice, how his voice rumbled at certain passages like they meant more to him, like they were meant to sound different and he wanted to give them more depth, and…

“Is something the matter?” he suddenly asked, looking at his students in confusion, until he noticed where they were looking. He glanced at Eggsy with raised eyebrows, and the curtain suddenly fell from Eggsy’s mind, making him realize he had been literally _staring_ at the older man in front of the whole class – and the class found it particularly interesting, judging from their faces.

“My bad,” Eggsy croaked out apologetically, his throat dry, and Harry frowned a little like he couldn’t understand the reason for it and, well, Eggsy didn’t blame him. He gestured vaguely towards the book Harry was holding and looked to the ground, trying to act invisible, hearing the giggles from students and praying the lesson would end soon.

That bad thing was - the lesson still had another half an hour to go.

Eggsy never felt so visible in his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betad by LoveABitOfRough! Thank you so much ^^
> 
> Sorry for the delay and everything, got a bit too hooked up in a new MMO x.x  
> Thank you for reading! ^^


	9. Dating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What have you expected?” Harry opposed. “It would be slower if we weren’t a gay couple, but with this it spreads like a wildfire. It always does, everywhere.”  
> “I’m just surprised, they were so blunt,” Eggsy pointed out, because really, they even told him someone seen them making out somewhere, and they weren’t shy to tell him. “I mean, they asked out of blue if we are fucking.”

“I’ve been looking in the west side of the main building,” Harry said matter-of-factly in the middle of lunch. Eggsy blinked, the fork with food halfway from his mouth, and it took him a while to connect the proper dots. He had been acting like somebody had hit him with a blunt weapon and it rang in his head too loudly to comprehend anything else since they left Harry’s class. He thought nobody would even take him seriously after the incident – even though it probably fulfilled the expectation Merlin gave them as a couple.

“West side?” he repeated, his mind reeling for a proper reaction to it. Harry was teaching in the east side, right? So what was he looking for in the west-, “Oh.”

“More precisely _asking_ ,” Harry continued calmly, his eyes scanning the surroundings as he spoke. “There are not many people talking about the murdered couples.”

“Bad luck,” Eggsy mumbled. “Nobody wants to be reminded of that.”

“We need a better lead though,” Harry responded, finally settling back on Eggsy, watching him carefully.

“There is a high possibility it’s nobody who works here,” Eggsy offered, setting the fork down, his appetite all but gone. “At least not regularly. He may be either a student, or just a passer-by, focusing on people from outside. Maybe even meeting them outside the school altogether.”

“That would be too much of a coincidence,” the older agent opposed. “I want to stick to the first theory a bit longer.”

“Fine by me,” Eggsy shrugged and glanced at his watch, noting his last lesson for today was about to start. Harry understood, judging from his expression, so Eggsy only waved him off and ran out of the cafeteria, almost knocking down the group of teachers coming in.

He made it to the class with 5 minutes to spare and considered it a success.

***

“Are you and Professor Dewitt dating?”

Eggsy stopped in the middle of writing a formula he cheekily copied from the notes Maleficent left him, and it took him about three seconds before he actually turned around and searched the crowd (a literal crowd, there were so many people he was afraid they were going to have to sit on the floor soon) for the person who asked it.

“Sorry?” he chimed, his eyes skimming from person to person, until he saw a dark haired girl breathing in and opening her mouth.

“Are you dating?” she inquired, and no, it wasn’t her before, the voice was different, but oh well. “You and Professor Dewitt.”

“Are we playing truth or dare or somethin’?” he put down the chalk and felt the strange anticipation in his chest, seizing him at that question. Of course, this was it. He knew he had to handle it with care, act natural, like somebody who was in a relationship – not ashamed, but not flaunting, how Merlin said. If he was seriously a teacher dating another teacher, he wouldn’t be agreeing so easily, would he. Or talking about it in general to bloody students.

“No,” the girl shrugged and he noticed how the rest of the class stared at him curiously. “Just wondering.”

“Oh?” he tilted his head to the side, challenging her to spill the beans why she was so brave to open this topic. “And why do ya wonder about such a thing?”

“Everyone thinks so,” she shot back without shame, and wow, she would make a great journalist. She even kept an eye contact without a single flinch, demanding answers fearlessly, and he had to admit not many people were able to do this so flawlessly. “They say you even live together.”

“Who’s _they_?”

“People,” came a reply and Eggsy chuckled, mentally giving her credit for her confidence. “You came here together, you’re going on lunch together, you even visit Professor’s Dewitt’s class…”

“Must be love,” he smirked and she wavered a little, her expression unsure. He contemplated it a bit, very well aware of the stares that focused on him, and then let out a sigh. Seriously, telling her _yeah, gal, we are fucking on daily basis_ would come out really, really wrong. “Now can we get back to the lesson or do you have any other pressing matters to discuss with your _teacher_?”

“You were in the club room together,” another person said and Eggsy frowned a little, his mind not quite catching the connection between a club room and the current situation. Not to mention he had no idea where a club room was.

“A club room?” he repeated, watching the boy who implied it with raised eyebrows. “Playing chess or what?”

“Making out?” the student shrugged and Eggsy almost choked. “That’s what everyone in the club room does anyway.”

“Bollocks,” he pinched the bridge of his nose. They were so blunt he almost couldn’t believe he should have been considered a teacher, and not a classmate. Were they seriously telling him he was seen making out with Harry somewhere, even though it wasn’t true, and without even a bit of fear of his reaction? They put his teenage self to shame, really. He should remember this for future use, when Merlin would call him cheeky bastard again.

“How did you meet?” another person asked, a boy with short, sandy hair, and he looked almost eager – actually all of them did – perched on their desks like vultures, hanging on every Eggsy’s word.

“Is this a tea party, or what?” he stared back at them, and wow, this must have been a hot topic then if they were so willing to listen. “I don’t recall having a math…ematics class that included asking for _private_ information. Next time we will braid each other’s hair or somethin’.”

“It’s not private, the whole university is talking about it,” another girl piped. “Not to mention you’re always watching him like a lovesi-“ A sharp knock interrupted her and Eggsy almost jumped out of his skin at the noise – and even more when the door opened and Harry looked inside of the classroom.

“Am I interrupting?” he asked almost too innocently, and goddamn, did he have a bug on Eggsy again or what? That was timing worth a novel, for fuck’s sake. Eggsy wondered how begging for him to wait outside would look, and it came out as very bad, so he kept his mouth shut and only cringed when giggles came his way from the audience. Harry picked the best moment to go check on his class, for real.

“Not at all,” he mumbled anyway, motioning Harry to come in, and the older man closed the door behind him and languidly stepped forward, just to stop next to him and glance at the audience.

“Don’t let me bother your class, I’m merely an observer,” he told the crowd and Eggsy started counting.

“So are we,” the same girl that asked him if they were dating commented and Eggsy reached only 5 before this remark came, which was actually slower than he anticipated. The smirk on her face was too real, and Harry definitely had to pick up there was more to it than that.  He glanced at the younger man in a silent question, and Eggsy gave out a tiny shrug.

“They were asking if we’re dating,” he whispered to him and Harry’s eyebrows shot up for a moment, before he leaned to the boy’s ear, a bit _too_ close, that bastard, so he could feel his breath on his ear, and his voice dropped so low he barely heard it when he was saying:

“This is going to make your life a bit miserable, but just tell them yes.”

“Shut uuup,” Eggsy whined before he could think better of it, and yeah, of course it made the class grin like loons, probably winning bets or making new ones. Harry propped back against the table with a small smirk playing on his face, and there was no doubt he did it on purpose, that sly fox.

Eggsy rather grabbed the chalk and returned to the blackboard to escape the undying attention of all of them, just to find out he apparently forgot how to write number five properly and all his attempts looked like from a pre-schooler.

“Need a hand?” Harry asked sweetly and Eggsy gave up and banged his head over the board.

***

“That was totally a low blow,” he informed Harry when they finally abandoned the class, leaving all the smirking students behind them (few actually trailing after them, he considered them spies), walking down the corridor. The crowd was thinning now, the clock slowly reaching six in the evening, and Harry had the nerve to actually look smug about this whole thing.

“That was totally not,” the older man shot back, choosing Eggsy’s wording. “Your class seemed wanting to know, let’s call it…”

“A fucking fan-service?” the blond glanced at him in exasperation – for what was his acting worth, he must have looked like a fucking blushing maiden or something, because he could easily tell at the end of the lesson that his face was heated up uncomfortably, especially when Harry kept on watching him like he wanted to eat him up. He should get an Oscar for that, really. “They said the whole university is talking ‘bout it – I mean, good, but this fast?”

“What have you expected?” Harry opposed. “It would be slower if we weren’t a gay couple, but with this it spreads like a wildfire. It always does, everywhere.”

“I’m just surprised, they were so blunt,” Eggsy pointed out, because really, they even told him someone seen them making out somewhere, and they weren’t shy to tell him. “I mean, they asked out of blue if we are fucking.”

“Good,” Harry nodded, not even flinching at the language.

“Good?”

“Of course,” the man took a left turn and Eggsy followed, clutching his books firmly. It felt so strange to act like a teacher, even a fake one. The weird pressure of responsibility dawning on him like this wasn’t fun at all. “The profile is for couples. The sooner we are known as one, the sooner we can find the culprit.”

“Fair enough,” Eggsy mumbled. “By the way, have you come across a _club room_?”

“A club room?” Harry glanced at him in surprise. “I believe this place has one, but… why?”

“Got accused somebody saw us there?” Eggsy spilled it out and it made Harry take in a sharp breath and stop in his walking, remaining perfectly still in the middle of a corridor. “What?”

“I recall somebody talking about a place,” the older man exclaimed thoughtfully. “When I was trying to find more about the couples, somebody said _they shouldn’t have been so obvious in the club._ ”

“That could have been a regular club outside the school,” Eggsy opposed.

“Or it could have been the club room,” Harry pointed out. “They didn’t elaborate and asking about _which club_ might draw too much attention, so I left it be, but now that you mention it…”

“You think someone is targeting people who are snogging in there?” Eggsy blinked, a little mortified from the fact they were already considered doing it with Harry in there. “Or whatever.”

“I think it’s the only thing we have right now,” Harry nodded and resumed his walking. “Meet me in 20 at the cafeteria.”

“Harry-,”

“And stop looking like you want to run away,” a teasing jab made Eggsy sputter indignantly. “Weren’t you the one who asked about _snogging_?”

Eggsy only growled something and left the man alone, aiming for the flat to dump his books.

Fucking Harry Hart. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betad by LoveABitOfRough :) Thank you so much! <3
> 
> Ugh, I'm so sorry. Final Fantasy XIV is ruining my life. And my writing. And my muse. My everythiiiing.  
> Anyway! New chapter, so sorry for delay, I suck :(


	10. A Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I bet five pounds on an infinite amount of giggling,” Harry shrugged and waited for Eggsy to follow before he opened the door for him, fucking Prince Charming. “This wouldn’t be just a rumour, you see.”  
> “You’re ridiculous,” Eggsy commented, but took the offer anyway and left the club room with stiff shoulders. “Ten, and a photo.”

"I expected there would be at least somebody here.” Eggsy mumbled, looking around the dark place they found themselves in. It was small and packed with all sorts of junk – gym tools, tables and chairs, unused old blackboards and racks with cloth hanging from them, there was actually very little space to move around. It reminded him of a slalom race, maneuvering through all those obstacles without bumping into them. More than a club room it was storage – it definitely made sense why people chose it for this particular activity.

Harry hummed and ventured further in, slinking around the table to investigate the back wall, and Eggsy stood at the door, awkwardly skimming from spot to spot, barely seeing it in the complete darkness.

“I can tell why is this a perfect spot for making out.” Eggsy mumbled when he almost lost sight of his colleague behind the furniture. “Just fall behind some of this junk and you’re basically invisible.”

“I agree,” Harry mumbled, and there was a soft click filling the space from where the older agent apparently stopped. “The radar doesn’t show anything suspicious though. No electronics for eavesdropping, no bugs – if they are not some new, undiscovered sort our technology can’t find.”

“Are you scanning it now?” Eggsy raised an eyebrow and stepped inside as well, avoiding boxes lying in his way.

“No signs of disruption as well,” Harry responded with another hum. “This place is clean.”

“Well, _clean_ is not really the right word for it.” The blond mumbled, dusting off his sleeve when he brushed against one of the wardrobes standing there and it left a white smudge on his suit. “Even my room is cleaner.”

“Astounding comparison,” he heard Harry chuckle and finally found him in the midst of shadows and hiding places. “But as much as it gives a cover for couples that don’t want to be seen, it also gives an opportunity for… unwanted guests to observe.”

“You mean creepers,” Eggsy snorted, picking up a glove lying on a table and then throwing it back with a disgusted look. “Prolly doing the fapfap transformation in practice.”

“Charming.”

“There’s a word for-,” Eggsy stopped abruptly and Harry froze as well when a loud creak interrupted them, and footsteps approached from the outside. Eggsy almost forgot to breathe for a moment, the situation escalated far too fast for his taste, as if somebody pushed them into a bad movie, where writers were lazy as fuck. Just obviously setting up situations where they got an idea, and for the most dramatic result they basically used the most cliché theme out of all. Since he thought Harry was just teasing him with the snogging remark - because hey, it was about 6 in the evening, right? Students shouldn’t have been here anymore, and if somebody would come here to have a quickie, he’d bet it would be during the lessons in the morning. He foolishly thought that they would be here just to check it out (how Harry actually found it this easily was beyond him, but then again, it was Harry Hart after all), but of fucking course it wouldn’t be that easy.

 “Well, fuck,” Eggsy whispered, immediately diving lower to hide. “What’re the fucking odds of someone actually coming here _now_.”

 “The same odds the whole university is making bets on us,” Harry whispered back and there was a heavy hand on Eggsy’s shoulder, reaching from the darkness, and pulling him closer to the back. “If we are being observed as well, there’s a high possibility the person coming just _now_ is the one we need.”

“That’s so fucking calming,” Eggsy grumbled and Harry shushed him, finally stilling the boy in front of him, and listening carefully. The footsteps were closer now, slow, but confident, and Eggsy wasn’t quite sure if there was only one person or more, how it echoed through the hallway.

“Guess it’s time for you to stop being a gentleman for a minute,” he glanced at the older man, pushing the idiotic awkwardness behind him. This was a mission, not a fucking date – it wasn’t like Harry expected him to sing sonnets or bring him flowers or actually give him a… a… happy time (god, just thinking of going down on Harry was terrifying, he would probably get killed by that fucking umbrella before his hand got anywhere near there, and why the heck was he even thinking about it?!).

“What a hardship,” the older agent uttered dryly and Eggsy wanted to laugh, but there was no real chance to do that since Harry’s hand trailed up Eggsy's neck to come to rest at the base of his jaw, and the touch was so very warm, it took away all the words he had prepared.

 His first reflex was to cover the hand with his own – to stop it or pull it away. He chided himself for the thought, he really did. There was no way Harry would want to hit him or anything, but the response was still there, alive in his mind. In Eggsy's life, when hands got too close to him they usually aimed for his neck for a different reason than just a simple touch, they tightened to hurt or threaten his safety, and it was difficult to break the habit of flinching away. Harry’s hand was sure, but gentle, and rested on his skin without any other movement, and Eggsy slowly dropped his own hand back down and looked up instead, trying to wipe the initial uneasiness off his face.

“No cheeky remark?” Harry asked simply, and Eggsy wondered what would be the best retort that would score him brownie points, but nothing really came to his mind in those few, tense seconds before he heard the doors opening and his reflexes immediately popped to life. He didn’t really look at the approaching figures, though he noticed there were two of them; he just stubbornly pushed forward and pressed against the man with a single, calculated intent.

If Harry was surprised, he didn’t show it, not even when Eggsy dragged him lower and met him halfway in a kiss  – well, more like mouths pressing together. There was no real finesse, no special softness – just his fingers curled around the nape of Eggsy’s neck, holding him in place.

He heard barely audible gasps, but it was so faint he could easily miss it if he wasn’t paying attention to it. He didn’t stop and just made his own hand travel to Harry’s shoulder to get some leverage while he stepped a little closer. He was perfectly aware of his surroundings – the visitors were relatively close, there were two tables and one rack dividing them. Then there was Harry’s hand suddenly moving again, angling Eggsy’s head to the side with his thumb. A swipe of tongue on his lower lip made Eggsy automatically part his lips a little and the pressure changed.

Harry was suddenly a lot closer, his body crowding into Eggsy's space, and his mouth became a lot more demanding, the whole action bolder and it was suddenly so hot Eggsy thought he would burn away like a torch.

This wasn’t just a _peck_ anymore, it involved _tongue_ and it was _deep_ and Eggsy couldn’t stop a whimper escaping him, his fingers digging into the man’s shoulder like he needed to support himself. Suddenly the surroundings fell away; there was only a buzzing in his ears, a loud roaring of blood. He barely recognized getting bent over backwards by Harry’s superior height, one hand holding the back of his head while the other dropped to his waist, and _fuck_ , it definitely was like a movie now. He scrambled for more leverage, holding on the broad back like a drowning man. The air was getting short and his head dizzy, but _goddamn_ , the kiss was so _good_. It was like being explored, worshipped, and praised so thoroughly by Harry's gentle but insistent mouth. Eggsy could barely understand what was happening anymore and his lips only responded in kind, maybe too fervently.

He caught himself making soft, needy noises in the back of his throat as he got snogged like there was no tomorrow, and seriously, that thing Harry did with his tongue? For fuck’s sake, too _hot_. Christ he was full of surprises. Eggsy pushed more into it, almost on instinct, and suddenly the pressure of Harry's lips disappeared, and Eggsy blindly chased after him before he realized it was on purpose and the mind-blowing kiss was over.

He gasped for air and opened his eyes, feeling too hot to even wear clothes at the moment, and that definitely wasn't the best reaction at that moment. Harry was looking towards the exit, his expression carefully blank, and Eggsy noticed he wasn’t even breathing heavily or anything – he remained perfectly composed, even though Eggsy could barely catch his breath.

“They’re gone,” the older agent commented to the silence – and oh, he wasn’t even touching Eggsy anymore. Good, right? Yeah, must be good, it would probably burn Eggsy alive if he still had Harry's hands on him. His blood was thrumming wildly in his veins and he could only hope his heartbeat wasn’t _heard_ , because this scene alone was already too embarrassing.

“D-did you see who it was?” he dug out of himself, trying to act as professionally as he could after being snogged to oblivion, and Harry glanced back at him.

“Two students,” he replied shortly. “Not from my class at least, but I’d be lying if I said I was positive.”

“Okay…” he breathed out and Harry smirked, that sly bastard, apparently very amused by Eggsy’s state.

“You can’t bloody kiss me like that, for fuck’s sake,” he pointed at the older man accusingly. “Sodding gentleman, as if.”

“You said I need to stop being one for a minute,” Harry shrugged. “And I thought you were a fan of _wet, noisy kisses_.”

“Fuck you too,” the blond grumbled, immediately earning a short laugh. “I'm so gonna tell Merlin you’re not the good boy everyone thinks you are.”

“My dear Eggsy,” Harry chuckled and there was a light touch on his shoulder again, like he was reprimanding him, or maybe just teasing a little. “Nobody thinks so except you.”

“Bullshit,” Eggsy bit back. “You’re totes winning the good boy contest every year. Then you'll put the award on the wall, next to _meanest insults_ and _rocking that suit_.”

“Keep dreaming,” Harry smirked and moved towards the exit where he suddenly stopped and turned to the flushed man, his expression thoughtful. “How much do you bet on tomorrow’s result?”

“Of what?” the blond blinked, shaking off his dazed state the best he could.

“Being seen in the club room?”

“We were already _seen_ in the club room,“ Eggsy retorted, finally moving from the spot as well, even though his legs felt a little rubbery. Nobody told him kissing Harry Hart was this fatal, for fuck’s sake. “Even though just imaginary.”

“I bet five pounds on an infinite amount of giggling,” Harry shrugged and waited for Eggsy to follow before he opened the door for him, fucking Prince Charming. “This wouldn’t be just a rumour, you see.”

“You’re ridiculous,” Eggsy commented, but took the offer anyway and left the club room with stiff shoulders. “Ten, and a photo.”

“I haven’t noticed them taking any evidence of this...” Harry opposed doubtfully and Eggsy flashed him a cheeky grin.

“ _My dear Harry_ ,” he used his wording. “You have so much to learn.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betad by stainedglasscurtains <3
> 
> Sorry for the delay! (again) Hope this is alright ^^


	11. The Vid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Maybe,” Harry shrugged and returned the device to the owner. “Teenagers do this kind of thing, don’t they.”  
> “I don’t!”  
> “You’re not a teenager anymore,” Harry chuckled. “Despite that… you just did anyway, right?”  
> “I didn’t know it was recorded,” Eggsy grumbled. “It’s not something I’ve wanted the whole university to see.”

The snickering was maddening. Eggsy thought he could do it, that he was prepared to face the inevitable doom of yesterday events, but no. No, he seriously hadn’t been ready at all, now standing face to face with all his students grinning at him like loons, like they knew something he didn’t and weren't afraid to use it against him, and he could totally understand where it came from.

It was what they needed, right?

He was embarrassed to his inner core, especially when they asked if Harry would come to watch the lesson again. He could easily imagine how the picture was circling around the whole university like a vulture searching for its prey, and all he could do was to wonder if he had to pay Harry those five pounds or Harry had to pay him ten, because it was everything they thought of mashed together.

As if the creeping awkwardness Eggsy felt until now wasn’t enough of a punishment. For fuck’s sake, he should have allowed Roxy to come instead of him, he couldn’t handle all these growing issues inside of him the more they played the role. Making eyes at Harry was one thing. Landing a touch here and there another. But actually kissing him, even though he believed kissing is not a big deal, that made him absolutely done with all this shite.

Harry was a great kisser. Eggsy wasn’t afraid to admit that – and he had his share of kissing, really. He kissed lot of people, he had the material to compare – girl and guys both – but Harry was… different. It probably shouldn’t have been such a surprise for him to come out as a dominant one, the one that ruled the kiss immediately – or anything intimate, really – it was Harry Hart after all. But it made Eggsy’s head spin for a moment there, absolutely washed out all the thoughts and left only the white, chittering noise, buzzing in his head like a bee swarm, noticing all those touches a bit too much. How Harry held him close in a firm, unforgiving grip, how his lips were sure and didn’t hesitate, how he lead the whole thing without a single pause– all those were a sign Eggsy had no fucking chance to act like he knew what he was doing.

And yeah, of course they joked a bit about it on their way back to the apartment, but Eggsy could tell he was already tense and absolutely lost, and had no idea how to act around Harry now. He didn’t tell him – of course he didn’t, it would be like the JB incident all over again – and tried to act like it was fine and dandy, but the more the time to go to sleep approached, the more Eggsy grew agitated and jumpy.

He had kissed Harry Hart.

Now he had to sleep with him in one, small bed, with all the touching, and since he was a cuddler, also snuggling like duck. With a guy he kissed. With tongue.

When he kissed somebody before, it usually led to more, even though it didn’t need to be sex, but it definitely hadn’t been just one kiss and then acting like nothing happen. There was at least some kind of make-out session, some groping that followed to get the anticipation out of the body. When he kissed somebody, he wanted to, and intended to do more of it.

When he kissed Harry, it swallowed him whole into a deep, dark abyss of _what the fuck should I do now_. So he tiptoed around it, doing this and that in the living room, even pretended to look through the teaching materials he had from the Witch of the Wilds, until his head was dropping from sleepiness and body required rest, and Harry was long gone in the bed, probably sleeping peacefully.

Eggsy thought it was better to go _after_ him, not having this awkward _lying next to each other after we kissed_ moment. That just sneaking in when Harry would be already asleep saved him some of his shattered pride.

It didn’t.

Because Harry was a light sleeper. He was such fucking radar that the moment Eggsy approached the bed as quietly as physically possible, Harry stirred, glanced at him sleepily and then moved more to the side and closed his eyes again.

 _“Done with overthinking current events?”_ he asked him and Eggsy whined and dropped on the bed like a sack of potatoes.

 _“I hate you,”_ he informed him, earned an amused chuckle, and fell asleep on the spot.

Of course he woke up curled around Harry’s frame in the morning again, their legs intertwined and him clutching Harry’s shirt in a death grip.

The morning awkwardness was one thing, but his first class today was another, and he just hoped Harry wouldn’t want to make it even worse by dropping by.

“Okay,” he threw his book on the table, staring back at the smiling faces. “Out with it. What?”

“You,” one of the students said as easily as if the was giving an order to a waiter. 

“Me,” Eggsy repeated, rising an eyebrow, and the same person grinned and added: “And professor Dewitt.”

“Naturally,” Eggsy uttered and crossed his arms on his chest. “I suppose you’re all having a field day with photos?”

“Photos?” a girl asked and whipped out her phone. “You mean the vid?”

“Seriously?”

He thought of it, of course, but he would never actually believe somebody had guts to actually record them. That was bolder than he thought it would be. Those two who came to the club room were braver than he expected, just walking in on them like that and recording.

“Show me,” he decided and approached the audience. The expression on her face changed into a shocked one, an unsure grimace of _oops, I messed up_ , and for a fleeting moment she looked like she wanted to destroy her phone and the evidence with it.

“Stop acting so humble and show me _now_ ,” he ordered, extending his hand to her, and she turned red in a second and handed him her phone like she just got caught bare assed in the middle of the football stadium.

Yes, it was definitely a video from the club room. When he pressed play, it immediately started in the middle of the kiss – with Eggsy bended backwards like a blushing maiden and Harry holding him like a Prince Charming (for fuck’s sake, really, Harry?!), and was he really clutching him this firmly? God, it looked like he was kissed for the first time in his life – maybe it was a good thing the vid was relatively dark. Harry’s back was pretty wide, wasn’t it? Like, his shoulders were… wait.

He held up the phone, aiming it at the girl who gave it to him as if he was recording her, and frowned. They were perfectly aligned with the front door. The students that came inside were standing right in front of it, therefore the video should have been aiming exactly at them, from the front, taking in their sides. But this one was… angled, as if it was recorded from somewhere _behind_ Harry.

“Send it to me,” he gave the phone back and took out his own device.

“Send it…?”

“Yes,” he shot out at her dubious tone, impatient. “You don’t need to be the only one who is having fun watching this, right?”

There were several chuckles sounding, and then encouraging to send it, so she promptly did, now even redder, and Eggsy thought it served her right for being so fucking bold to actually say that to her teacher. He was a punk at school too, but he had his limits somewhere, and the lots of here crossed it without a flinch.

It beeped on his phone as received, so he flashed her pointed look and she shrunk back into her seat like a child who just got scolded.

“Now, if you can actually pay attention again,” he hid the phone to his pocket and walked back to the desk. “And leave _private_ matters to the people whom they belong… we can actually move a bit in the lesson.”

When he glanced back, the whole bunch seemed grudgingly ashamed and he counted it as win. Now just to focus enough for what he was going to write on the blackboard before the bell rings, so he could show Harry what he had found.

And probably burn in hell for it.

***

He found Harry in the cafeteria, sitting at the table with a steaming cup of coffee, and before he could actually open his mouth to say something, Harry whipped out a bank note without even looking from the newspaper he was reading, and gave it to him.

“You won,” he elaborated at Eggsy’s confused stare. “There _is_ evidence.”

“Yes,” Eggsy snatched the money with a cheeky grin and hid it in his pocket. “And I have it.“

“You do?” That was apparently worth enough for Harry to put away the paper and give Eggsy a wondering look, motioning for him to sit down.

“It’s also a bit of a giveaway, ’cause it was recorded from the wrong side-,”

“Recorded?” Harry repeated with surprise. “You mean it’s an actual video?”

“Yes, Sherlock, it’s an actual video,” the blond leered and handed him his phone with already loaded file and pushed his chair closer to Harry so he could watch it as well. The only luck was the cafeteria was almost empty and the video had no sound recorded with it, or he would have to drag them both somewhere secluded. “The point is, the students came in straight from the door, the vid is done like-,”

“Behind me,” Harry finished the sentence thoughtfully. “Not to mention it’s even _before_ the students came in.”

“Yes, but you checked for tech in there,” Eggsy pointed out, realizing he had seen only a fragment of the video in the classroom, and it was actually a lot longer. “But there was no one else, so…”

“There is a possible surveillance camera I didn’t pick on radar,” Harry hummed. “Some are barely detectable until they go online.”

“So somebody actually has the stalker-ish props in there? Like, when someone comes in, he just flips it on and _watches_?” Eggsy cringed at the thought and Harry didn’t even look from the vid still playing. God, Eggsy was so awkward in it, it was like Harry was kissing a sodding school girl.

“And distributes,” the older agent added. “Either put it on a site somewhere, or just sent it as a mass e-mail. That may be why the _club room_ is so well known for it.”

“For what, catching fifteen minutes of fame while snogging?” the blond snorted and tried very hard not to steal another peek of the image playing on his phone. It was weird to watch it, really. Kind of impressive, yeah, but still strange to see Harry cradling his face in his hand and supporting his waist while acting like an absolute alpha male over him – and it should bother him, shouldn’t it. Wonder why it didn’t.

“Maybe,” Harry shrugged and returned the device to the owner. “Teenagers do this kind of thing, don’t they.”

“I don’t!”

“You’re not a teenager anymore,” Harry chuckled. “Despite that… you just did anyway, right?”

“I didn’t know it was recorded,” Eggsy grumbled. “It’s not something I’ve wanted the whole university to see.”

“I think it was a good performance, if it makes you feel any better,” Harry smiled smugly, damn that guy. “Only the lifted leg was missing.”

“Shut uuuup!”

Harry only smirked and got back to his newspaper like he said nothing, leaving Eggsy to bang his head over the table and stay that way in utter humiliation. It was not like it was him who bent him backwards like a princess! He just hoped Merlin or Roxy wouldn’t ever see this…

“How long have the nightmares been going on?” a sudden question made him freeze, and he glanced back slowly, looking at Harry still casually reading.

“What?”

“Your nightmares,” Harry explained easily, flipping a list. “How long have you been having them?”

“What nightmares?” Eggsy sat up properly, his brows furrowed in confusion. He was sleeping like a baby, no? He never had nightmares. Well, he had, as a kid, but that’s about it. It usually occurred when he saw Critters or some other horror-ish thing on telly.

Harry looked at him over the top of newspaper and seemed to be searching for something, Eggsy just didn’t know what. There was nothing he was hiding, was there?

“You usually start thrashing closer to the morning,” the older man started in a lower voice. “Mumbling and repeating some words over and over again. Then you get grabby, but usually calm down when I start rubbing your back.”

“I… what?” Eggsy’s eyes widened almost comically at the image – if he had been having nightmares, wouldn’t he know?

“It has been just two nights, but it’s seems like a pattern,” Harry told him a little too seriously for bunch of bad dreams. “It usually means there is a cause.”

“Well, I’ve seen some freaking unbelievable shite, maybe that?” the blond grumbled, unnecessarily defensive and Harry hummed and apparently got the memo to drop the subject, since he grew quiet again and returned to his reading.

 _Nightmares, well, that’s not the end of the world, is it._ So he had bunch of bad dreams, it wasn’t like it plagued him since he didn’t remember. Although if they had been waking Harry up, it wasn’t really considerate either, was it.

He didn’t even mean to lash out like this at the guy, it wasn’t like it was his fault anyway.

Eggsy sighed and reached for Harry’s cup, sipping slowly the bitter liquid to have something to do. They had bigger things to worry about than his stupid dreams.

“What am I repeating?” he asked after a moment, out of curiosity. Harry closed the newspaper, folded it and put it on the table before he stood up and buttoned up his jacket.

“My name,” he said flatly and left Eggsy at the table alone and gaping.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betad by stainedglasscurtains ^^
> 
> God I'm so sorry, it takes me so bloody long to get myself to write one chapter QQ  
> Anyway, yeah, I want to watch that vid as well, kekekeke.


	12. The Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Riiiight,” Eggsy rolled his eyes and then gave him a pointed look. “One bed, Merlin. You gave us one bed.”  
> “You’re lovers,” the quartermaster shrugged like it was no big deal. “You wanted separate flats or what? Very believable, let me tell you.”  
> “I… fine,” Eggsy sighed in defeat, scratching his head. “Point taken.”  
> “Any other complaints?”

“Well, I was afraid you were already murdered over there!”

Eggsy raised an eyebrow at the familiar voice coming from the living room, but his bare arse didn’t allow him to go check who exactly was he hearing. The voice was sort of muffled too and he didn’t think yelling at Harry about the identity was an option. Not to mention they weren’t really talking much now, after the _boohoo, nightmares_ show in the cafeteria. He thought telling Harry he was a big boy that was not scared of darkness and bad dreams anymore was below his dignity, so he decided just to keep quiet and drown it all under the stream of hot water. Harry came to the apartment shortly after him, who knows where had he been running (probably actually getting some proper work done, the spy work, the one that counted), but he heard him arrive once Eggsy was still in the shower.

It was petty, Eggsy knew. But he disliked when somebody kept on prying into his head, trying to solve him like a puzzle, like if he was something worth to put such effort to, just because he had some issues under his sleeve. Well yes, he had a tough life, he had hard time growing up, but he was _better_ now, he solved that shite and meant to strive for something bigger. And it was Harry who led him to it, who basically held his fucking hand and made him realize he could have done better than destroying cars or playing pranks or stealing small, stupid stuff to get his arse arrested.

No, he could help. He could be in motion and he could enjoy it. He was grateful for that. But he didn’t need to analyse it further. If his mind was fucked up and wanted to let it out in form of nightmares that actually hadn’t been plaguing him that much, since he never remembered anyway, then fine, so be it. Just no pitying, no analysing, no probing. He had enough of that as a kid.

“In other words, no real lead.”

Eggsy opened the door and immediately got hit by the Scottish accent that didn’t leave him wondering any longer. Merlin was calling, and there was an apparent _oh god, why me_ tone he often used to show his disappointment. He was pretty bold to use it on Harry though.

“In proper words, we have been here for three days,” Harry shot back, and there was agitation in his voice – a bit strange for his typically calm attitude. He usually brushed him off with nonchalance, not getting bitter like this.

“And?” Merlin didn’t relent though, because, hey, it was Merlin after all. Eggsy pulled a shirt over his head, a little wet on the edges, and entered the living room with guarded expression. At least he tried to.

Harry glanced at him, but his face didn’t give anything away, and turned back towards the screen on which Merlin was displayed with his bald glory.

“S’up, Merlin,” Eggsy saluted him, slowly approaching the chair Harry was sitting on, carefully propping against it. “Checking up on us?”

“Naturally,” the quartermaster uttered dryly. “No report until now, call me soft, but I was _worried_.”

“Aww, sweet,” the blond grinned, the tension slowly seeping away from his body. “Didn’t know you cared.”

“You can’t say such thing so loud, I have a reputation to keep,” Merlin smirked back, and he really sounded like he was concerned about their well-being, more than just needed to know the status of a mission. Harry was still kind of grumpy though, his lips a thin line and eyes intense, and didn’t really seem like he wanted to talk to the man, or anyone on that matter.

“Riiiight,” Eggsy rolled his eyes and then gave him a pointed look. “One bed, Merlin. You gave us one bed.”

“You’re lovers,” the quartermaster shrugged like it was no big deal. “You wanted separate flats or what? Very believable, let me tell you.”

“I… fine,” Eggsy sighed in defeat, scratching his head. “Point taken.”

“Any other complaints?”

“I still can’t believe you made me a math teacher,” the blond grumbled, probably more out of habit than that it was serious issue, and Merlin gave him patronizing smile he wanted to scratch off his face the moment it appeared.

“You wanted PE instead?” he teased the young agent profusely and Eggsy just huffed and waved his hand. PE would be definitely easier, but yeah, he had a point.

“You have something to say, Harry?” Merlin suddenly asked and Eggsy blinked and glanced at his older companion in silent question. He seemed on verge of leaving, strange agitation radiating from his posture and Eggsy couldn’t find the reason. Was it something Merlin told him before Eggsy got here?

“No,” Harry bit out shortly and remained quiet again.

“I can always send Roxanne if you find the task too daring,” Merlin presented the possibility in all professionalism, even though his tone gave out he meant it to provoke them. “Or if it just doesn’t work.”

“It works,” Eggsy quickly stepped into the conversation, seeing how Harry was taking a deep breath, probably for an unpleasant delivery of bitterness. “It actually works really well. The whole school is shipping us-,”

“Is what?”

“ _Shipping us_ ,” Eggsy repeated, the smug smirk tugging his corners up. “Meaning, they are cheering us on.”

“Why would you call it _shipping_?” the quartermaster watched him dubiously, and Eggsy couldn’t help but find it hilarious. They should spend some time online, and not in bookstores. Or, in Merlin’s case, glasses and sweaters shop. Maybe also some tea ones.

“RelationSHIPS, get it, Merlin?”

“This generation never cease to amaze me,” Merlin shook his head, but he seemed fond, not like Eggsy was making his hands ball into fists because he wanted to punch him, so it was a win.

“Alright, so far you have only that somebody is basically recording the storage room-,”

“Club room,” Eggsy piped, earning a firm nod.

“- _storage room_ , and then distributing it, or at least putting it online somewhere, so people can watch it. I’ll try to look into the issue, if there is an actual portal or a website providing such data, it could give us more leads. Finding an IP should be easy then, as well as the actual person.”

“I don’t really think it’s the actual killer,” Harry suddenly said, his tone too cold for Eggsy’s liking. Was he angry at him? Because of those nightmares? “It all seems more for a student running this small _business_ , for fame maybe.”

“So you know the name then?” Merlin raised an eyebrow, and there was hint of annoyance in his voice as well.

_Crap, what’s going on?_

“Not yet,” Harry uttered. “It has been _three days_ , Merlin.”

“Yes, thank you for your input,” the Scottish man clucked. “Since it’s seems like there is nothing more to tell, I thank you for your report and good luck.”

With that he didn’t even wait for them to react and the screen darkened, leaving them staring at their own reflection. Harry was still frowning as if Merlin’s mere voice offended him somehow, but since the expression didn’t disappear even after the transmission ended, Eggsy had the bad feeling that he was the cause after all. 

“So…” Eggsy gathered his courage and looked at his companion directly. “What’s bugging ya?”

“I’m going to look around,” Harry stood up as if Eggsy hadn’t asked shite, his posture stiff and unhappy.

“Wha- but Harry-!”

The older agent didn’t even glance back, he just grabbed his jacket he apparently put on the couch before and left the flat in fast, sure stride, leaving Eggsy behind him absolutely dumbfounded. Was it becoming a habit? Just leaving the blond without proper explanation, dropping bombs and expecting him to just overlook it? Because it definitely felt that way, and Eggsy hated it.

“For fuck’s sake…” he mumbled, sitting on the chair Harry so quickly abandoned, and stared back at the black screen. It took him only few seconds before he decided it was worth it and resumed the session they had with Merlin, hoping the quartermaster was still there, able to pick up the call.

“Why the long face?” Merlin greeted him as if he was expecting it, looking perfectly casual in front of his desk, with a steaming cup in his hand. Eggsy blinked in surprise when he saw a lean figure next to him, and he didn’t need to think twice about who it was.

“Hey, Roxy,” he called at the young brunette who bent down to see Eggsy properly, as he could now see her as well.

“Hello, Professor Everett,” she had a wide, Cheshire cat smile, and Eggsy rolled his eyes, but barked out a laugh anyway. He wasn’t even in his suit, just a raggedy t-shirt he had for home, and his hair was still wet, so there was probably nothing _official_ about him now. But Roxy was used to seeing him like that, so it was no surprise for her anyway.

“I hadn’t made him a Professor,” Merlin pointed out as if was very important, making Roxy laugh at it. “Grumpy bear left, I assume?”

“Yes, now spill the beans,” Eggsy told the quartermaster unhappily, forcing down the exasperated sigh. “What happened? Or what did I do? Had he told ya?”

“You?” Merlin raised an eyebrow in question. “You haven’t done anything, why would you think you did?”

“He was angry,” Eggsy mumbled, noticing how Roxy’s expression softened at it, as if she understood him in some strange manner he couldn’t point a finger on.

“Yes, but at me,” Merlin sipped his tea and glanced down at the cup, apparently approving of the taste. “This one is good, Roxanne, thank you for the tip.”

“Sure,” she smirked and propped against the desk. She was in her _work_ clothes –so this felt a bit more official. “Is he giving you a hard time, Eggsy?”

“What? No,” the blond immediately refused, frowning at the implication. “It’s all good, I just wanna know what made him this pissy.”

“He just feels I’m patronizing him,” Merlin shrugged, putting the cup down and resting his hands on his bended knee. “That I feel he’s not competent enough to do this without my constant surveillance, just because of what happened with Valentine.”

“But-,”

“I’m not telling you because I’m a gossiping bastard, mind you,” Merlin interrupted him and his face grew tired all of sudden. “But I have known Harry for long, and yes, I was worried, especially when he works with you.”

“What’s wrong about working with me?” Eggsy countered defensively, and the Scottish man smiled a little, not happily or sadly, more like only to himself, like it was an inside joke Eggsy didn’t understand.

“Nothing is wrong,” he assured him. “But Harry lowers his defences when he’s with you. He lowers them… a lot. It may make him, let’s say, careless.”

Eggsy’s spotted his expression in the reflection and it perfectly described how he felt about it – utterly confused and a little agitated about the impossibility to solve this. His brows were furrowed, he gnawed on his lower lip and judging from Roxy’s expression it was something he wasn’t wearing often, since she looked _concerned_.

“I think you’re underestimating him,” he offered after a moment, breathing out slowly. “He knows what he’s doing.”

“Yes,” Merlin agreed, leaning back into his chair. “He does. And he drops his attention to anything but you once you’re close. Don’t tell me you never noticed?”

“Stop talking in riddles,” Eggsy barked out and it made Roxy cringe, but Merlin didn’t move a brow. He held his gaze in absolute calm.

“He likes you, boy,” the quartermaster deadpanned. “He likes you far too much for his own good.”

“And that’s the tragedy?” Eggsy snorted, crossing his arms on his chest. “Of course I know he’s fond of me, for fuck’s sake. We established that _ages_ ago. But it never made him careless.”

“You think so?” Merlin only said and then shook his head. “Just think about it. Keep an eye on him. Stay safe.”

Before Eggsy could counter anyhow, the screen blackened again, leaving him even more confused than before.

Merlin and his cryptic messages. _Gotta love that_. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betad by stainedglasscurtains <3
> 
> I can't help it, but I really enjoy writing Merlin and Roxy :D They are so fun :D And Merlin is a sass master, I need to put more of that there :D
> 
> I hope this chapter is alright, it's very dialogue-ish QQ Not much of hartwin as well, but... yeah.


	13. A Drink

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh man,” he hiccupped, imagining how Harry must have looked after that. “What did he even said on that?”  
> “He just stared,” she wailed in embarrassment. “He stared and then he said excuse me? And I was like… oh god, forgive me, it was not what I meant, but I think he didn’t believe that, so now he thinks I’m onto you two and… I really need coffee.”

Eggsy felt that staying inside of the apartment alone was like a torture, so he left as well to clear up his head outside, running. This day was definitely fucked up, first he learned he was having some creepy nightmares about Harry, then he got accused that Harry was basically fucking up only because Eggsy was near – which was not true, thank you very much, Harry was a sodding professional – and in the end Harry was grumpy and just blatantly ignored him while embarking somewhere alone.

It took Eggsy an hour, or at least something around that, and when he was running back towards the university, the sun was slowly setting down, colouring the sky from deep, fiery orange to darker shade of pink and blue. He didn’t really feel tired enough to actually go back just to fall asleep, but his thoughts got sorted to an acceptable degree and he considered it enough to be able to face Harry without cringing.

“How come I always meet you all sweaty?” a familiar voice stopped him from jogging across the campus, and he spun around so fast he almost tripped over his feet.

Barbarella was standing on a path leading from the main building and she seemed pleased to see him. She looked as always – on a board of _going to a club to hunt down some men_ style, short skirt and high heels, but Eggsy didn’t think anything of it anymore.

“Must be your lucky day,” he replied cheekily, smiling at her, and she smiled back.

“Just had a delightful chat with Professor Dewitt,” she glanced back at the building, looking a bit dreamy. _Still_. “Didn’t know you’re together just for few months!”

 _Me neither_.

“Ye, it’s not really a long term yet,” he laughed awkwardly, cursing himself for not actually going through it with Harry before one of them needed to elaborate. “But we are working on it.”

“I can totally see that,” she nodded happily and then tilted her head to the side. “Say, would you mind if I called you Gary? And you call me Becky?”

_Oh right, Rebeca. That was the name._

“That’s fine by me, _Becky_ ,” he extended his hand politely and she squeezed it in hers, beaming at him.

“Amazing,” she chirped and looked over her shoulder to the parking lot, and then back. “How about we grab coffee for a bit? I still have plenty of time, not really looking forward to spend another evening alone.”

Eggsy blinked in surprise and his absolute shock probably showed on his face too, because she immediately panicked, shaking her head in terror.

“No, no, no, not like that!” she assured him in high pitched voice, getting redder and redder. “I meant! Just coffee, sit and chat, not like… oh my god, I’m sorry.”

He stared at her a bit longer, noting how she fidgeted nervously, until he burst out with laughter. She was so amazingly awkward he wondered if he really was the younger one from them, given her faux pas she made all the time.

“I can’t believe that, you’re priceless,” he snorted, wiping away tears from his eyes, and even though she seemed mortified it made her chuckle as well, so he thought they both needed it to break the ice.

“Coffee sounds pretty cool,” he said as a confirmation when he felt the laughter subsiding, allowing him to speak again, and it was funny seeing her suddenly so relieved.

“Okay,” she breathed out, waving her hand in front of her face as if she needed to cool down. “I really should take some conversation classes, this is getting out of hand. I even made your partner think I was asking about your sex life, for god’s sake.”

“Oh man,” he hiccupped, imagining how Harry must have looked after that. “What did he even said on that?”

“He just _stared_ ,” she wailed in embarrassment. “He _stared_ and then he said _excuse me_? And I was like… oh god, forgive me, it was not what I meant, but I think he didn’t believe that, so now he thinks I’m onto you two and… I really need coffee.”

“I think you need a _drink_ ,” he grinned and she barked out a laugh and nodded in agreement. “Let me change and I will meet you here.”

“Nah, it’s fine,” she shrugged, looking him over. “It’s not like you look like a homeless, we are not going to a fancy restaurant.”

Eggsy opened his mouth to protest – he was in desperate need of shower and his boots were really muddy – but then he changed his mind and shrugged it off as well.

“Fair enough,” he concluded and she motioned towards her car. “Lead the way then.”

***

“I haven’t done this with a guy forever!”

“You really should think before you speak,” Eggsy piped from his beer, grinning when she stopped mid move and slowly realized what she just said. “I’d give you a prize for innuendos though, top class, lady.”

“I don’t mean it that way!” she whined, stirring her cocktail with a straw in exasperation, and he kind of believed her. She probably just acted before she thought about the shite, and it resulted in all the double meaning remarks that should have been innocent.

“Ye,” he smirked. “Still funny tho.”

“I’m glad you have fun with my misery,” she pouted – honestly pouted like a schoolgirl – and sipped through her straw a bit of the pink liquid. “I can laugh at you too, you know. You’re in the university for so short and you won’t meet a student that don’t know about you.”

“Oh?” he raised an eyebrow, even though he wasn’t as surprised as he looked. It’s not like he didn’t know, given his own classes that didn’t even make an effort to hide it.

“The one that makes heart eyes at the new literature professor?” she winked at him like she was telling him a secret. “I’m surprised how much students are captivated by the two of you. I don’t mean it badly, but you know, two men, usually it’s frowned upon.”

“It’s Harry, you can’t frown upon that guy,” he attempted to make it easier, like it was no big deal, and she apparently bought it, judging from her nodding.

“Well, no one can frown upon you either,” she commented appraisingly. “It’s actually very sweet. Sad, for me, since… I mean. Just so nice, and you’re lucky.”

“Well, if we won’t work out, I think he has a thing for blondes,” he tried to cheer her up lamely and she laughed and flung back the strand of her blond hair behind her shoulder. She seemed surprisingly chatty and informed, even though he wasn’t sure if she actually knew about the vid, or the club room in general.

“Say, Becky,” he started lightly. “Ever heard of the club room?”

“The…” she stared and then turned redder than a tomato, which was an apparent yes. Probably even the biggest giveaway ever, because suddenly she couldn’t even look him in the eye, and he had to hold himself by the force of his sheer will from laughing.

“So… I take it as a yes?” he chimed, grinning anyway, and she choked on her drink and almost drowned in it.

“I didn’t mean to… I mean… everyone was talking about it, and I’m sorry-,”

“The vid?” he chuckled and she nodded in shame, like she committed a sin of the worst degree. “Liked it?”

“Gary…” she whined and he never saw anyone this mortified before, for real. Or red on that matter – for a mature woman she was easily embarrassed.

“I’m glad you did,” he teased her with a laugh. “Cuz I know my class definitely did. Is this common?”

“What do you mean?” she hiccupped after drinking too fast, probably to get rid of the awkwardness. “Videos?”

“Ye,” he shrugged. “Cuz I mean… I heard the club room is like… known? For the making out. Not for the vids. But for somebody being there, doing to the do.”

“It…” she took a deep, shaking breath and then nodded slowly. “It’s not something teacher should… either know about. Or overlook. Yet we do, because it’s just something the students keep in high regard.”

“In high regard?” he repeated incredulously. “I mean, ye, I was stupid to actually dragging Harry there, I got curious about the place, but… the vids are like… a thing? For everyone who comes there?”

“I don’t really know,” she mumbled, playing with her straw a little nervously, so Eggsy wondered how much _don’t know_ it actually was. Pressuring would take him nowhere though, so he kept quiet and only nodded silently. “It’s not like students are playing the vids to us, you understand?”

“Yet you’ve seen mine,” he reminded her with a cheeky grin to make her feel a little more relaxed, and she chuckled and nodded hesitantly.

“Your vid is a big boom around the school now,” she offered. “Not just because you’re two men, but mainly because you’re two teachers. This is probably more of a student’s thing, you see.”

“And the committee didn’t do anything about it? Since… they apparently know, right?” he tried one more time, and when he heard the pressuring tone in his voice, he reeled back and rather gulped down a bit of his beer to appear more casual. He wasn’t sure if she bought it, but it was his only chance.

“I never heard about anything, to be completely honest,” she gave out a tiny shrug, now a bit more comfortable. “I mean, with everything that’s going on lately… about the dropouts.”

“Dropouts?” he raised an eyebrows, attempting to look as surprised as he could.

“It’s an unfortunate thing,” she sighed, scratching her head as if deep in thoughts. “There had been several cases of students just… not coming back to school. I mean, it happens, right? They just didn’t want to continue. But it was more of them these past few months, it was like a heatwave.”

_The murdered ones. Doesn’t she know they are dead?_

“That’s bonkers,” he agreed, playing with the bottle. “Was it before the renovation? I heard there was a renovation.”

“Yeah, they didn’t come back after,” she nodded unhappily. “There were few of them from my class as well. I always considered them good students. It was disappointing.”

“I can tell,” he hummed. “Well, if you ever needed spare students, just take some from my class. So many _onlookers_ that don’t even belong there…”

“I heard the math class got packed!” she cheered up again, thankfully. “Students were talking about it a lot.”

“Gossiping devils,” he let out a fake sigh, making her giggle once more. He wasn’t even sure for how long they were sitting there already, even though it had to be over an hour, since he was on his second beer and she had already third cocktail. It definitely took her out of the driving possibility, that for sure.

“Thanks,” she suddenly reached out and gently patted his hand on the table, seemingly honest and grateful. “I needed this.”

“It’s no problem,” he assured her nonchalantly. “Having somebody to talk to is always pretty cool.”

“Tell me about it,” she chimed in happily and gulped down the rest of the pink drink, before rising the glass up and glancing at Eggsy in wonder. “You think this had alcohol in it?”

He stared for a moment, gathering his dropped jaw from the table, before he let out a long, exasperated sigh.

“You’re shitting me, right?” he gave her an evil eye and she shrunk back in her seat.

“I guess it had.”

Well, the cab was meant to save the day anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Well. This one got very dialogue-ish as well, but I promise the next chapter is with Harry again, and it should get a lil more interesting, hopefully :)) *whispers* Eggsy is prolly a bit drunk D:


	14. Drunk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It just not fair, yeah?” the blond mumbled, walking from the centre of the living room to the counter to get a glass of water. His throat was dryer than a desert. He knew Harry was following him with his eyes, so he didn’t bother to check if he was paying attention. “I get to be fucking angry too, it’s not like… a priva.. prive…”  
> “Privilege.”  
> “Fuck that,” Eggsy gulped down a mouthful and set the glass down with a bit too much force than was really needed, eluding a loud bang from it and cringing. “I’m your partner, capisce? I have a right to know this shite!”

“I mean, is he _good_?”

“Good!” Eggsy exclaimed, almost spilling the weirdly looking drink on the table (it was blue _and_ green, he was actually afraid it was somewhat toxic – or he would be if he hadn’t had like… three of them already and his head wasn’t spinning). “He’s a beast!”

“No way!” Becky gasped and started giggling. The glasses on their table multiplied and he already lost count on how many they already got. “But he’s so… proper!”

“Angel in the beets, devil in the stre-wait, no, how does it go?” he stopped mid-sentence, looking thoughtful, and she furrowed her brow in concentration before she snapped her fingers.

“Streets and sheets!”

“Ye,” he grinned widely, gulping down the rest of the drink. “That’s what he is. A _devil_ in bed, ha.”

“Woah,” she looked dreamy again, propping her chin against a palm of her hand, sighing. “He sounds better and better. I’m jealous.”

Eggsy felt like on a roll, the alcohol was already mingling with his thoughts, pumping into his blood, and the wild fantasies just kept on pouring from his mouth like there was no stopping him. His brain helpfully supplied all kind of images of Harry in bed – it was bizarre, or his sober self would find it that way, probably – but so easy to just imagine the man leaving all manners behind the doors to the bedroom, and just changing into somebody wholesomely different. Dominant, maybe a little forceful, hungry and wild, with a perfect knowledge of his partner, lustful touches and burning kisses, with zero patience about _slow progress_ and just taking everything, drinking in and _owning._ And Eggsy just went with that flow of thoughts, because why the hell not, he saw what Harry was capable of when he lost control. He just couldn’t get that picture out of his head, of Harry stripped from all norms that kept him so _proper_ , so _educated_ , and just making a mess of his lover without shame. And it was really, really _hot_ , like Eggsy could almost feel the pressure of it, the needy passion, and his liquor-filled brain just took it as a fact, not really wondering _why_ would he even thought of his colleague that way, he just _did_.

The only thing that was maybe a little concerning entailed the fact he _didn’t really know_. He could tell Harry was a thorough kisser, yeah. Sure and leading and definitely not giving any chance to overwhelm him – and maybe that made Eggsy think he was that way in a bed as well. Just fully in control, handling the pace, holding _him_ down…

“Well, fuck,” he took in a shuddering breath, his body reacting easily, and Becky’s eyes shone with understanding and amusement.

“So nice being in love,” she sighed, finishing her cocktail as well. “And _young_.”

“My god, _shut up_ ,” he banged his forehead on the table and stayed there, utterly and absolutely devastated by his own dirty mind.

***

Eggsy would never believe stairs could be such an enemy. His legs were cooperating with huge delay and he almost tripped after three stairs up, hating Merlin for getting them a flat on top floor, probably out of spite. At some point he even doubted any of those legs were actually his for how left out them both felt.

He was lucky he managed to get there in one piece, fighting with a lock for a moment and then finally falling inside of the place with a loud thud how he closed the door in haste. His head was buzzing a little, his hands clumsy, and damn, he hadn’t been drunk for _ages_ , this was getting out of hand – how he should handle himself now?

“Had fun outside?”

Eggsy almost fell down when he sharply turned around, his head spinning, until he was able to focus back again, seeing Harry in between the living room doors, watching him with blank expression on his face.

“S’up,” he blurted out lamely, his body swinging from side to side how he tried to keep the proper balance without looking drunk, but judging from Harry's exasperated sigh he failed horribly. The older agent took a deep breath to start a speech, probably, but Eggsy was pretty sure he knew what he was going to say, so he quickly raised his hand to silence him.

“Before you’re going to give me shite about not knowing where I had been, lemme just tell ya – same to you, okay?” he pointed at him vaguely and Harry raised an eyebrow, but actually remained quiet. “So be a dear and just… be a dear.”

“You already said that.”

“You can still be that,” Eggsy countered grudgingly and started getting his boots off – his muddy boots off, jesus, _what a mess._ “I’ve been gathering intel, you see.”

“By getting wasted,” Harry commented dryly, stepping away from the door when Eggsy headed that way, leaving his shoes haphazardly lying where he took them off. “Brilliant tactics.”

“Actually, ye,” the blond grumbled, pushing into the room stubbornly and dragging his hoodie over his head in one go with the shirt. “It’s called _bleeding in_.”

“ _Blending_ in,” Harry stepped after him, closing the door quietly, and Eggsy growled and threw the hoodie along with the shirt on the chair, standing in the middle of the room only in his pants.

“That’s what I _said_.”

“Of course you did,” the older man shrugged – and was he making fun of him? He had that weird-ass expression again, like patronizing or something, but with amusement of his own, something that Eggsy wanted to wipe off his face as soon as possible.

“Hey, just think of what _you_ ’ve done first,” Eggsy turned around, pointing at Harry accusingly, even though the image was a bit blurry. “Just fucking off wherever you please without giving a shite what I think or… whatever.”

“And what do you think?” Harry crossed his arms on his chest expectantly, and well, what did Eggsy think? Right now his head was blank, drawing only the white noise in it, full of cocktails and bubbles and really rowdy fantasies of how Harry could be a beast in bed, and that was definitely not a material for discussion. It was all Becky’s fault anyway; she asked and made him think of it.

“Nothin’,” he grumbled, lowering his hand back down, and it drew a low chuckle from the older man. “I just didn’t know where you went and why you were angry or what.”

“Well, you got me back with that,” Harry pointed out simply and yeah, Eggsy did, didn’t he. Not planned or anything, but it was a little like a response and he was proud of it.

“It just not fair, yeah?” the blond mumbled, walking from the centre of the living room to the counter to get a glass of water. His throat was dryer than a desert. He knew Harry was following him with his eyes, so he didn’t bother to check if he was paying attention. “I get to be fucking angry too, it’s not like… a priva.. prive…”

“Privilege.”

“Fuck that,” Eggsy gulped down a mouthful and set the glass down with a bit too much force than was really needed, eluding a loud bang from it and cringing. “I’m your _partner_ , capisce? I have a right to know this shite!”

“I told you what I’m going to do though,” Harry replied calmly, and he was closer now, almost within reach, probably in worry Eggsy was going to fall on his butt or something. He wasn’t very far from it.

“No, you didn’t,” Eggsy held on stubbornly, turning to him with unhappy expression. “And it’s stupid, cuz we are working together, and you just… ran off and what should I have done.”

“Not sure if going drinking was the best response,” Harry opposed, and that made Eggsy grunt in annoyance and push into Harry’s chest in reprimand. He didn’t even move him, but hopefully made his point.

“Shut up,” he added with a frown. “I hadn’t planned on going, so _shut up_. I just met Becky outside after running and she wanted me to come with her.”

“Becky?” Harry repeated, and he stepped closer again, stopping almost menacingly near, looking down at the blond with closed off expression, and if Eggsy wasn’t that drunk, he would probably say something witty, something eloquent. But his alcohol hazed brain just turned offline and all he could do was to push again, to get some breathing space, or maybe to show he wasn’t this easily intimidated, or whatever his stupid half-functioning mind thought of, just to get his hand caught in Harry’s palm, seizing it unmercifully.

And yeah, here it was – the anger in corners of Harry’s mouth, at the edges of his eyes, lingering there threateningly, and Eggsy saw it now, he could clearly interpret that this whole posture Harry held until this moment was an act of benevolence, but he was actually fucking pissed off.

“I don’t know what or _who_ made you this wasted, but I’m _not_ a pushover, Eggsy,” he hissed at the younger man, and even though his grip wasn’t strong enough to bruise, Eggsy felt petrified anyway. “So you either _tell me_ when you’re going to be gone for _four fucking hours_ , or I’ll take measures. Are we clear?”

“This shouldn’t be doing things to me.”

Eggsy absolutely understood the confusion that immediately arose in Harry’s eyes – it was probably the same with Eggsy. It just flew out of his mouth, his brain short-circuiting, his body suddenly hot and tingling, and all those stupid, upfront-made fantasies he thought of in the pub flooded back into his mind, creating vivid images and scenarios, and Harry’s dominant attitude just did the trick so well it almost knocked air out of Eggsy’s lungs.

It was like a reflex, Eggsy thought, like a full body jerk when Harry let go of him, that his own body stepped forward, crashing into Harry’s frame with a single goal in his mind. A fucked up mind, really, an insane thought that drove him up to the wall, and he vaguely realized it was absolutely off the plate, that it was a bad thing, but his body didn’t listen. His hands reached up, touching Harry’s shoulders and traveling higher, resting on the sides of his neck and his thumbs caressed his cheeks. And then he leaned in, noting the hitch in Harry’s breath, and _why,_ why was he even doing this?

Harry’s lips were warm and pliant and so _, so familiar_. Eggsy heard a muffled whine and it took him a moment to realize it was _him_ who did it, him who pressed more into the man, who crowded him against the counter, and his hands were gently stroking Harry’s jaw, mapping and memorizing, noting the slight stubble under his fingers.

It was warm and wet and Eggsy didn’t even think that French kissing was bold or anything, his tongue was already protruding and searching and he found himself flush against Harry’s front, circling his arms around his neck and deepening the kiss like his life depended on it. It ignited fire in his belly, burning him thoroughly from within and he heard himself moan and press more, to feel more,--

\--loud crash made him jerk away like he had been burned, movement so violent he almost toppled and fell, and his heart was almost out of his chest now, beating wildly it hurt, and it took him a moment before he focused back on what happened.

Harry had been standing at the counter where Eggsy left him, and next to his right foot was a pile of shards and water all around it. Was it the glass he was drinking from before? Not that it mattered, he could barely catch his breath, so it was the least of his worries, and it got even worse when he looked back up at the older man, and found him staring back at him in silent question, and _the hell, did I just kissed him out of blue_?!

“Drunk,” he hiccupped, stepping away. “I’m- sorry. So sorry. I’ll go to sleep now. Please don’t kill me.”

The stare followed him all the way to the bedroom where Eggsy flipped onto the bed and shouted to the pillow for far longer than he thought possible.

He was so going to die.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Adfjdfjdaasdf, DarlingWithDimples, I'm so sorry QQ I meant to make this a bit more to your liking, but it just turned into... this QQ  
> Aaaaanyway.... yeah. Um. Welp.


	15. Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Well, you look fit,” Kevin said matter-of-factly. “I’ve seen you running too. So…”  
> “Stalker,” another girl piped and started giggling when he sent her a death glare.   
> “What they meant is,” Sarah sighed, making them focus back to her. “You look like you can actually survive the whole match without an inhalator.”

There was a dose of violent movement, flash of red and dark, seeping into the silence like poison, and the quietness was deafening, suffocating, eerily scary, and Eggsy felt like his screams were suppressed by something heavy and unforgiving. There was blood everywhere, tears and desperation, and all he could do was stare helplessly at the image, so far, so unable to help, so _alone_ -

-he gasped and sat up, his body trembling with unspoken rage and fear, in painful spasm that didn’t want to go away no matter how hard he tried to get rid of it. His mind was frantic, reeling over everything it had seen just a second ago, all the hard facts mingled together and seeping into reality, and everything was about _Harry. T_ he first word his mouth let out was the name, and suddenly the fear crashed into him again, the pain that he saw him _dead_ , that he was _gone_ , so utterly _gone_ and he couldn’t…

“Eggsy?” a soothing voice washed over him, and Harry was _there_ , he was lying next to him, ruffled and sleepy and warm, and Eggsy’s breath hitched unpleasantly in his throat because for a tiny fraction of a second he saw Harry covered in blood and just so, _so still_.

His hands were shaking and his body couldn’t get a hang of calming down, and when Harry moved, _alive, so alive, breathing and living and not dead, not shot, not still anymore_ , Eggsy moved as well, crashing into the frame of the older man, pushing him back into the bed, earning a soft _oof_ in return.

“Are you alright?” Harry asked and there was a comforting caress on his back, gentle, warm touches trying to calm him down, and Eggsy breathed him in shakily, until his fingers touched side of Harry’s neck in a frantic search.

A steady rhythm of his heart drumming in his veins sent a wave of reassurance to Eggsy’s mind. He pressed more to be _sure_ , checking for an undeniable proof of _life_ , and it thrummed under his fingertips like a little bird caged in a tiny space, quickening slightly as if it got scared – and hell, maybe Harry _was_ scared now that Eggsy had lost it, because yeah, _yeah_ , Eggsy got so close now, so close to the border of insanity. He could hardly breathe, even though it had been just a nightmare plaguing him, but it felt real and bitter and coppery, like he tasted blood he saw so clearly. He fell into a tight, panicked state he barely knew how to get out of, so he just remained where he was, crowding his colleague desperately while everything around him wasn’t making any sense. Not the pitch black darkness surrounding them, not the soft sheets and gentle wind blowing into the room through a wide opened window, not anything except of Harry.

“You’re a-alive,” he whispered as if it could make things better somehow, and Harry’s grip tightened, pulling the boy closer. His chest was rising and falling steadily and there was hum coming from him, quiet and gentle.

“I saw you d-dead,” Eggsy added shakily, burying his face into crook of Harry’s neck, and it was _safe_ and _familiar_ , even though it probably shouldn’t have. “I saw you d-die there, _I saw it_.”

“I’m alive,” Harry assured him, his big, warm hand slowly traveling to Eggsy’s hair, running through it in a soothing manner. “It’s alright, I’m here.”

“You got s-shot,” the blond shuddered, and even though it was almost blissfully warm, his body was still so _cold_.

“I survived, Eggsy. I’m here, you’re touching me right now, you know it,” Harry opposed softly, and yes, Eggsy was touching him, he body was flat against the man, he could feel him breathing and talking, he heard him, he smelled him, he could almost taste him as well, being this close to his neck. His mind was still fogged though, still unsure and panicked, like the reality was escaping him, no matter how hard he tried to grasp it.

“There,” Harry suddenly took his hand from his neck, and it almost burned him how heated his fingers were – or was his so terribly cold? The older man guided them both to his chest, leaving Eggsy’s palm on the top of it, pressing against it. There was a strong, slightly elevated heartbeat drumming its eternal song, vibrating under Eggsy’s touch, soft thumping through flesh and bones. “ _I’m here.”_

“Yes,” the boy whispered, closing his palm and clutching Harry’s shirt in a death grip. “ _Yes_.”

He didn’t really remember how he fell back to sleep, but when it came, he didn’t wake up until the morning again.

***

It was Friday and Eggsy’s first lesson started at 11 AM. The boy woke up at half past nine, stirred into the reality with a dull feeling in his stomach, a growing headache and uneasiness gripping him, and it took him about twenty minutes before he was sure he could get out of the bed without either throwing up or falling unconscious.

His body felt heavy and a little difficult to maintain and he spent the whole morning shower contemplating what exactly made him this sluggish. There was the question of really bad sleep, he remembered it, and he could vividly recall some nasty details about the nightmare, even after this long. His mind helpfully supplied him with the worst parts of it, just to be sure he wouldn’t forget, and the whole scene Harry had to witness made him cringe every time he remembered it.

He realized _after_ the shower that the rest of those unpleasant feelings were from the drinking session with Becky. After so many glasses of whatever they drank, three beers and something he couldn’t recall he wasn’t even surprised his body hated him with passion right now. His head hurt and his stomach rumbled, but the thought of food was so farfetched he just left it alone, just in case he wouldn’t be able to hold it in.

He was kind of glad Harry was already nowhere to be seen, apparently teaching since the early morning, because seeing the boy catching a slight tint of green wouldn’t really be the best impression he could leave.

Not that the night one was any better. He was like a fucking kid, wasn’t he. Like a child that had seen a horror movie and couldn’t handle the fear, that was exactly his case. But at that point, when it happened the moment he woke up, it was like he couldn’t even control it, like nothing could sate the terror until Harry actually succeeded in lulling him back to sleep with gentle touches and soothing whispers.

That man had to lose all remaining hopes he had in Eggsy, for real. There wasn’t much else to do for him to get even more disappointed.

Except…

Eggsy stopped in the middle of getting his pants on and stared stupidly into an empty space like somebody froze him.

_Except the sodding kiss before he went to sleep!_

“For fuck’s sake,” he whined, almost dropping the belt how his hands started to shake again. He kissed Harry Hart. On the lips. With a fucking tongue. By himself. Without anyone to witness it so he could call it a _cover up_.

His life was officially over.

***

“Just sign up here,” he heard the voice and it took him a moment before he realized he had been handed a pen and a paper. He looked at it vaguely and put his signature on a line – a scribble, really, nobody could probably read it properly – and returned the pen without thinking.

He could barely concentrate and his class knew it, so he was grateful nobody really protested against all those easy exercises Eggsy threw at them from Maleficent’s collection. It was sort of free fun in there that day, with Eggsy mostly staring outside the window, deep in thought, and the bunch either actually did math or they talked about events around the school. He didn’t really listen, he was too busy freaking out, but at least they weren’t too noisy.

He probably thought of every possible excuse he could make to Harry when he was going to see him again. From _oh, I was so wasted y-day, I don’t remember shite ha-ha-ha,_ to _kill me now, I don’t deserve to live anymore_ until he settled on _I’m a despicable human being that had sexual fantasies about you when drunk, feel free to hit me with amnesia dart and give me a fake identity as a punishment you think fit of my faux pas_. He knew lying to Harry didn’t have a point – if the man wouldn’t immediately see right through it, Eggsy would feel bad anyway for actually deceiving him. Since Harry slept with him again in the bed after it, he probably wasn’t in the mood for killing, so he hoped the second option was out of the way as well.

Which left the third option. To actually tell this guy he had been thinking of his… of… him in the bed… of…

“You look flushed, are you okay?”

Eggsy jolted and quickly looked towards the general direction the question came from and realized his class already stopped talking and stared at him all curious. He could feel his face heating up so it was probably warranted, but it definitely didn’t make it better.

“Sorry, spaced out,” he apologized profusely, letting his arms release the painful spasm how he held them tightly crossed on his chest, and stepped away from the window he had been staring through for about half an hour.

“You gotta pull yourself together,” a boy – Kevin? Eggsy could swear that was his name – told him with a serious expression on his face. “We need you in shape today.”

Eggsy blinked, not quite getting the connection, and tilted his head to the side.

“Today for what? I don’t have this class again,” he pointed out, confused, and a few chuckles escaped the students. “What?”

“The football match, sir?” another student reminded him – well, reminding would involve actually knowing, but Eggsy heard about this for the first time.

“A football match?” he repeated incredulously, stepping forward. “I’m sorry?”

“You signed up for it?” Sarah, if he remembered correctly, his _I’m a journalist_ top student rose up the list he signed before without even reading what it was. He gawked on them for a moment, out of words, and Kevin seemed like somebody cancelled Christmas for him.

“Well, if you don’t wanna go…” Kevin started, rather disappointed, and Eggsy wondered if it was a trick he played to make him feel guilty about it, or he actually wanted him to go there and play. Because hey, football? He hadn’t played football in forever, probably about six, seven years, always too busy with something else. Quite often illegal, he had to admit, but yeah, no time, no space, and in the end, no normal friends to play with.

“No, it’s… fine,” Eggsy waved his hand. “I will go. But I haven’t played for several years, so I might be shite at it.”

“It’s fine, most of the team is full of nerds anyway,” Sarah chuckled, putting the list down again, looking satisfied with the result. “They’ll be happy to actually _hit_ the ball, not to mention to _score_.”

“Sounds fun,” he commented, a little relieved to put his mind into something else for a change. “Didn’t know teachers can play as well.”

“Well, you look fit,” Kevin said matter-of-factly. “I’ve seen you running too. So…”

“Stalker,” another girl piped and started giggling when he sent her a death glare.

“What they meant is,” Sarah sighed, making them focus back to her. “You look like you can actually survive the whole match without an inhalator.”

He would be lying if he said it didn’t make him laugh.

***

He knew Harry had a class right the moment he set foot outside the building, towards the football ground. He would usually go watch when his own classes were off, just because he could, but this diversion was actually handy. He wasn’t sure if he could even look him in the eye after how he fucked up yesterday on every possible field. Not to mention being focused on something else than his twisted mind that apparently wanted to lick Harry’s throat and leave some marks while doing so while finding out how fit exactly is the man under all the layers of clothing. He thought the alcohol was making him unnecessarily horny, and Becky’s talk pushed some ideas on him as well, but this wasn’t it.

But dealing with that shite while trying to look like nothing was going on and he just didn’t have a sexual revelation of the century that was ready to bite him in the ass was pretty difficult to maintain. So yeah, running to the field while clothed in striped shirt and white shorts just ready to get muddy and sweat it out looked very appealing for his raging hormones, to get some quietness from his overly active brain.

He was on a mission. _They_ were on a mission. The last thing any of them needed was actually fucking it up with sodding urges of a horny teenager.

Eggsy wondered how many times he needed to tell himself this for it to start working.

He was already up at hundred and fifty five and counting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Sorry for another delay, the work was hectic and I didn't really have time to write :( But! Here it is, lol. Sorry for the lameness QQ


	16. A Match

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Have something to say, mate?” he asked sternly, turning on his serious persona that should work in here, on everyone. The student huffed and took a step forward, almost threatening, like he just got an upper hand.  
> “Yeah, you-,”  
> “Ah,” the blond raised his hand and then gestured towards himself, stopping the other in his tracks. He was not going to get insulted again. If anything, he had more power here. “If you have a problem with me, you come here and you whisper it in my ear.”

Eggsy was pretty sure his serious teacher’s persona got shattered the first moment he landed in the mud because he _tripped_ over somebody’s else intentionally stretched leg, smudged his cheek with a dirty sleeve and called the referee a _bloody wanker_ after an undeniable foul play the other team pulled on them. Nobody had mercy, or respect on that matter, that he was basically their authority. His shorts weren’t white after about ten minutes of the first game, and the collar of the striped shirt looked browner than the mud they played in. The fact it was raining just a day before definitely made a number on the field, especially when a group of wild Yankees kept on running in it after a ball.

The match was against sophomores in whichever major, Eggsy wasn’t sure, nor he cared. He just knew they weren’t from his classes – or his observer crowds – and their faces were as unfamiliar. It was a rough bunch, at least most of them, and Eggsy found himself getting absorbed into the rush of the game, getting competitive and actually fighting his way through it, just to show them.

His own team was good, maybe a little clumsy, but playable, and half of the class cheered them from the edges of the field, which definitely made the atmosphere better.

“The fuck are you even trying to play at?!” a dark haired player from the other team snarled at him once Eggsy managed to swung around him and take the ball, manoeuvring through their defences with probably a bit unnecessary moves that made half of people gape at him in wonder. It was ridiculous how his mind couldn’t really tell the difference anymore, that this wasn’t what a normal person would do, no flip backs, no somersaults, no twists in the air, just a lumpish running from one side to another like everyone else here.  But his body refused to stay low anymore, like the job he had now wasn’t enough, even though he had been running basically daily, so this activity came as a very much needed relief.

The referee whistled to interrupt the game and Eggsy slowed down, turning around towards the accuser with a heavy breathing, just to be greeted with a disgusted look on the guy’s face. He was probably taller than Eggsy, about half a head maybe, but not broader, more like a lanky kid that just grew too tall. He wouldn’t pose a threat, Eggsy’s already too analytic brain supplied, he could be get rid of fairly easy with few moves.

“You think this is a fucking gymnastic match, you pansy?” the student continued unpleasantly while the rest of his team laughed like hyenas, and was that _for real_? Was he just insulting Eggsy for being _gay_? A sodding _teacher_ , in front of half of the school? He could hear the booing from the sides from his class, and it gave him a needed calm to understand this wasn’t a matter to get angry over and break necks. This was just an immature idiot that thought insulting people was the best line of defence.

_Like Charlie._

Eggsy raised an eyebrow, stopping completely, a strange, almost serene calm washed over him when he was looking at the boy. He could have expected it – or maybe he was actually surprised it didn’t come sooner – anything that would show him he was disliked for the orientation he was holding up here with Harry.

“Have something to say, mate?” he asked sternly, turning on his serious persona that _should_ work in here, on _everyone_. The student huffed and took a step forward, almost threatening, like he just got an upper hand.

“Yeah, you-,”

“Ah,” the blond raised his hand and then gestured towards himself, stopping the other in his tracks. He was not going to get insulted _again_. If anything, _he_ had more power here. “If you have a problem with me, you come here and you whisper it in my ear.”

A confused stare greeted him back, and if he wasn’t pissed off, he would probably laugh. Merlin should be proud, that for sure, if he wouldn’t sue him for using his trademark first.

“Great, glad we have an understanding,” Eggsy uttered when the student didn’t look like he would be that cheeky and actually take the dare on, and just remained at the spot. “Now run along, play a game and stop being such a tit.”

“Hey-,” another boy from the opposite team barked out, but the Charlie-wannabe stopped him with a hiss, thankfully. Eggsy just seized him down with an annoyed look, and that kept them quiet long enough for him to just turn away, ready to continue the game.

“Fucking fag,” he heard the grumble anyway, and that was it. That was the last straw he didn’t need to pull here – that shouldn’t have been pulled, really. It was a question of seconds before he turned back around and _kicked_ the ball that was still next to his foot forward. The object flew through the air like a bullet and smacked the student right to his face, making him wobble.

“You say that _again_ , lad, and that would be the last fucking thing you’d ever do, are we fucking clear?” Eggsy pointed at him threateningly, and he felt the anger rising, his body getting tense on board of painful.

“Are you fucking insane?!” another boy yelled at him, holding the Charlie-wannabe around shoulders while the guy tried to stop the blood running from his nose. “You and that other fucking freak-,”

Eggsy lost it.

***

“This is unacceptable, Mr. Everett.”

“Ye.”

“I can’t believe you attacked a _student_ ,” the headmaster stopped in front of his table, staring Eggsy down like a judge that wanted to deliver a judgment. “ _Students_ even! This is not tolerable.”

 _He started it_ , Eggsy wanted to say. _He was a bloody idiot, he was basically asking for it_. But he kept quiet, shamefully covering his bruised knuckles on the right hand under his left palm while hoping he wouldn’t leave mud all over the place. His shoes were basically brown and the clothes were smudging everything they touched. He alone had the mud on his left cheek and on his bare calves, and, well, basically everywhere the mud could reach.

“I’m sorry,” he forced out, trying to calm down his fuming, still in rage from the fight. The fact _he_ got insulted – fine. But when they touched Harry as well – that was already a red light, something that made him so stupidly angry he had to act on it, like it or not. So he did, hitting the first boy that actually wanted to fight as well, and it was like somebody pressed a switch inside of him – just wanting to get rid of the whole anger management he had inside of him by beating somebody to a pulp.

They had to stop him, hold him from the group of idiots that kept on calling him names, until he ended up here, in the headmaster’s office, like a beaten dog that waited for another hit to come.

“Mister Everett,” the headmaster had a grim expression on his face, his eyes fiery. “I’m willing to give you another chance, students seems to like you. At least… _some_ of them. But I must ask you to _stay low_. You, and Professor DeWitt as well.”

“It’s not like Harry had beaten somebody up,” Eggsy immediately shot back. “Or is involved in this. It’s all my doing, don’t drag him into it.”

“Professor DeWitt is not involved in your incident, of course,” Swanton agreed, but his tone told Eggsy there was an unpleasant _but_ in it. “I meant your… affair. What are you doing in your _private_ time, that’s not my business. But please cut out the blatant expression of it in public. Take this as a warning, and keep it in mind.”

Eggsy stared at him absolutely dumbstruck, his brain unhelpfully not supplying anything relevant, or presentable to say. Was he just… gay-shaming him? Telling him to _stop_ being _gay_ in public?

“Are you for real?” he managed, his unwounded hand balling into a fist.

“Public affection is not something you should be presenting _in a school,_ Mister Everett. I’m sure holding hands can be done out of sight of students,” the headmaster uttered dryly, his displeased attitude showing clearly now. “You’re both teachers. You should be an example for those young people. So act accordingly and leave your… kinks. Behind the door.”

“Kinks!”

“That’s all, Mister Everett,” the old fart motioned with his hand towards the door. “You can leave now. Just be assured that this was my only warning I’m giving you. You break the rules, and there is no place for you in this institute.”

Eggsy wasn’t sure how he managed to leave the office without beating him to a pulp as well.

***

“You look lovely,” Harry greeted him from the desk, looking him up and down, and Eggsy had to admit he looked pitiful. Dirty, sweaty and with a small case of a bloody knee (too hard landing). He definitely couldn’t have been the beacon of sexiness – and when he passed a mirror, he just grew more adamant in it. His hair was ruffled and face smudged with dirt, and he looked like he just ran from a horror movie.

“I fucked up,” Eggsy informed him instead of sassing Harry back, and crashed onto the chair with a heavy thud. The classroom was already empty, only Harry remained, and it gave an eerie sound in return. “Harry, I fucked up so much.”

The older agent’s face grew serious immediately, like he knew jokes were not allowed. He turned towards Eggsy fully – he was still in his suit, only with a tie casually eased off, and Eggsy found himself drawn to the bare skin of his neck before he caught himself doing it and mentally slapped himself for it – and gestured for him to continue.

“I’ve beaten up a student,” Eggsy started, agitated.

“Did you now,” Harry said only, his voice eerily calm. Eggsy thought it was just the quietness before the shitstorm, and that scared him a little. When Harry got mad… it usually ended up bloody.

“He was an annoying shite, he fucking pushed me,” Eggsy growled, the rage inside of him burning up again, even though he knew the situation should have been handled calmly, for the sake of his own health.

“Pushed you?”

“Called names,” Eggsy snarled. “I mean, this fucking _institute_ is full of homophobic arseholes!”

“He called you a queer and you beat him up?” now there was a dangerous edge in Harry’s voice, and Eggsy couldn’t chide himself enough for it. It was so fucking _stupid_. He was such a moron, so easily provoked and basically blowing the whole mission just because he couldn’t handle it with some sodding insight.

He scrubbed his face, smudging the dirt away with equally dirty sleeve, and nodded grudgingly.

“Yes,” he voiced it as well. “I fucking did.”

“Haven’t I taught you anything?” Harry stared at him unhappily - no, with disappointment probably - and it was like a physical blow – if he actually hit him, it would definitely hurt less. “Haven’t I told you that you _can’t_ act on your own feelings while _undercover_? Eggsy, this is a newbie mistake.”

“I know!” the blond fumed, looking away in shame.

“There could have been consequences as well,” Harry continued, and Eggsy heard rustling of papers as if the older agent stopped paying attention to the boy and just got back to his own work.

“There are consequences,” Eggsy mumbled, staring to the ground, and Harry sighed – but it was suddenly closer, a lot closer than Eggsy expected, and when he raised his head again, Harry was standing next to him, looking down at him with furrowed brows. He looked genuinely upset and it made Eggsy feel even shittier than when he got called to the headmaster’s office.

“So?” Harry crossed his arms on his chest and Eggsy tried to pull the puppiest eyes he could, just because there was a tiny chance that it would work on this guy. “Stop it.”

“It usually works,” the blond argued, looking down on his bruised hand and flexed it. It didn’t hurt, but he felt the strain. “The headmaster called me out on this… _affection_ thing. That we are too _obvious_.”

“We?” Harry blinked in surprise, his face adopting a wholesomely different expression from the grim one. “I thought you were talking about beating up a student.”

“For calling me a fag,” Eggsy pointed out.

“So the headmaster called you out on being gay?” another edge in Harry’s voice, sharper now, and Eggsy wondered why it changed so suddenly.

“He called _both of us_ out on it,” the boy responded. “He said we should leave our fucking _kinks_ behind the door and be an example for _young people.”_

“Kinks,” Harry repeated coldly and Eggsy could tell it had the same effect as it had on him before. An absolute outrage, maybe a little of disgust for being so openly homophobic, even though it wasn’t applied to him in real life.

Or maybe it was, Eggsy mused, since all his stupid fantasies pointed at Harry now anyway. So yeah, basically it offended him to no end, real or not.

“He gave _us_ a warning,” the blond added. “We cut it back. Stop any _affectionate_ gestures in public. Or we are kicked out of this sodding _institute_.”

Harry watched him for a moment as if he was contemplating how to react, until he gave out a tiny sigh.

“Son of a bitch,” he uttered next and Eggsy couldn’t help but laugh a little. It wasn’t what he expected, but it relaxed him a bit – it was definitely better than getting hit by angry Harry Hart after all.

“Show me,” Harry opened his palm, waiting, and Eggsy raised an eyebrow.

“Show you…?” he repeated, confused, and Harry rolled his eyes.

“Definitely not your good manners,” he informed him sternly. “The hand.”

“It’s nothing,” the blond assured him. “Also, rude.”

“The hand,” Harry said again, patiently, but Eggsy heard the annoyed undertone in it, so he promptly heeded the order and let his bruised hand get seized by Harry in a firm, unforgiving grip. The position was so suggesting Eggsy could barely contain himself.

“I say yes, if it matters,” he piped to lighten up the mood, having his hand held like he just got proposed, and Harry didn’t even look back at him from the wound.

“Of course you do,” he answered back flatly, mapping the knuckles with almost ghost touches. “Not sure how good housewife you’d be though.”

“I’m sure you’d be satisfied,” Eggsy shot back and hissed when Harry pressed more, his palm hot like a furnace. “At least in bed.”

That made the older man pause and Eggsy immediately bit his tongue, kind of hoping he would miraculously become a venomous snake and poison himself like that. _In fucking bed_ , what the hell was wrong with him?

“That’s very confident, Eggsy,” Harry looked at him with piercing eyes, like he was seeing into his bare soul. “I’m not an easy man to please.”

“I love challenges,” another stupid thing to say, _somebody get his mouth sewed please_. “And learn fast.”

“I won’t argue about that,” Harry gave out a tiny shrug and glanced back at the boy’s hand. “Except for manners you still somehow lack.”

“Maybe you should teach me,” the blond offered, feeling how he was running out of breath somehow, like an adrenalin rush was catching up with him for some reason, his blood roared in his ears so loudly it was deafening.

“I’m teaching you _all the time_ ,” Harry replied quietly, and his hand wasn’t inspecting Eggsy’s anymore, but holding, caressing a little, and Eggsy felt like there was something he needed to say, or to do, maybe to lean in and kiss him, lick into his mouth and straddle his lap and let him do whatever he wanted to. His breath hitched and heart thrummed wildly, and he couldn’t stop staring, couldn’t help himself at all, and Harry was so still, unmoving, and _waiting_ -

“Oh, sorry.”

The touch disappeared fast and Harry was looking towards the door, leaving Eggsy hanging there like a sad child, until the boy gathered himself back, trying to calm down and stop breathing like he ran a marathon. He glanced at the direction the voice came from and found a young guy standing there with a bag hung over his shoulder, looking genuinely surprised.

“Did you need something, Colin?” Harry asked in a complete calm and Eggsy cursed him to the deepest pits of hell to be able to stay so fucking composed. Or maybe he wasn’t even out of balance, Eggsy couldn’t tell. Maybe it was just him, just the sodding little bastard who thought they were somehow having a moment here, except they probably weren’t, _apparently_ , _definitely_.

“Just left my notes here, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” the student bowed his head and dived to the third row of seats, taking a note book from under the desk and then retreating quickly back from the classroom like he hadn’t even been there, only his steps were echoing through the hallway until they died out like a flame under water.

“So much for keeping the _kinks_ behind the door,” Harry commented dryly and returned to his desk, gathering his things.

Eggsy tried not to feel as disappointed as he did.

He failed miserably.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> God, I think there is ton of mistakes, but I have no strenght to do something more about it :D   
> So yeah, there it is, it turned a bit serious, sorry QQ But! Eggsy as a housewife, lololol. Aaaaanyway. Pining much?


	17. In The Role

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “So what, Eggsy? What happened?” she pushed with concentrated look on her face, and the blond sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.   
> “Just sayin’ it would be better if you were here,” he repeated. “Instead of me.”  
> “Why,” she tilted her head curiously. “Can’t get into the role?”  
> “Can’t get out of the role.”

“I should have let you come instead of me.”

Roxy’s face immediately changed into a concerned one, her pretty mouth casted downwards while eyes started searching Eggsy’s face through the feed. Eggsy didn’t even know why he decided to tell her about it – it wasn’t like he wanted to make it anyone’s business, let alone Roxy’s. She had her own work, her own missions, her own troubles, and pushing this stupid sexuality crisis on her felt painfully selfish.

But who should he have talked to about it? He couldn’t tell Becky, even though he found a pretty cool comrade in her, because she thought he and Harry were a thing, as she, after all, should have. And beside her? His students, some teachers, or _Merlin_. No way in a sodding hell.

“Something happened?” she asked, worried, and her eyes skimmed over his face and the rest of his body she could see behind the table. Eggsy shook his head, already regretting actually opening this topic, but then again – it was Roxy, right? Merlin wasn’t there to hear them, Harry was out having the last lesson for the day, and he was in the flat alone, finally presentable enough to call his pretty colleague without explaining all the mud.

“Well… no,” he shrugged, trying to play it nonchalant, but her piercing eyes didn’t let him lie to her. “It’s about Harry, I…”

“Did he do something to you?” she immediately shot out and Eggsy blinked and stared at her like she grew another head. Harry? Hurting him? Was she mad?

“No, geez,” he rolled his eyes, but Roxy didn’t look very sure. “Why do you keep suggesting he hurt me?”

“Because you always look like the world was ending and he was the cause,” she uttered, agitated, and motioned him to continue. “So what?”

“I don’t,” he argued back, frowning at her, because hey, he couldn’t have been that obvious, could he?

“So what, Eggsy? What happened?” she pushed with concentrated look on her face, and the blond sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Just sayin’ it would be better if you were here,” he repeated. “Instead of me.”

“Why,” she tilted her head curiously. “Can’t get into the role?”

“Can’t get _out_ of the role.”

She quieted down, watching him from under long, black eyelashes, and her face gave nothing away. He couldn’t tell if she was judging him now, or pitying, or maybe even accusing of _kinks_ , her expression was carefully blank.

“Eggsy,” she said after a moment, her voice neutral. “I thought you were lovers since about half of the training already.”

“What?” his eyes widened and it made her hum and look away for a moment, thinking. “Why would you even…?”

“You were always kind of… flirting?” she suggested lightly. “I mean, all the remarks he kept on landing at you, and you were always so happy around him, like a puppy, all the smiles and touches, and… I thought it was obvious, really. I mean, I wasn’t hundred percent sure, but…”

“I never-,”

“Don’t get me wrong,” she quickly assured him. “Merlin said there was nothing as well, I _knew_ there was nothing, in practice, but in theory… it was just so _obvious_. So, when the mission came, I thought you’re in denial and Harry is just waiting for you to come in terms with it.”

“Harry is waiting for what?” his jaw almost dropped on the table and Roxy seemed a little ashamed for talking about it, a tint of pink coloured her cheeks.

“He always looks at you so…”

“Lovingly?” he finished the sentence when she stopped, searching for the right word, and Becky’s speech immediately popped up into his mind with vengeance. _So lovingly._

“Yeah,” she agreed quietly. “We all know he’s really fond of you. You know it too; he has a soft spot for your sorry ass. But it’s… more. I think. A lot more.”

“Shite,” he hid his face in his palms, his mind reeling like a hamster on coffee, and really, he just _couldn’t_ believe what he was hearing. He knew that Harry liked him, of course he knew. He proved that to him many times, and Eggsy liked him back, he always did. Harry was like a constant, like somebody he could rely on, somebody who would help him if he messed shite up. He was a guardian, a friend, maybe even an authority if Eggsy really wanted to go there and consider him such. He always had Eggsy’s respect, from the first show-off in the pub when he recruited him, basically. He was strong and reliable, smart and witty, he looked damn good in a suit and his voice always sounded so _posh_ Eggsy thought that if aristocrats looked like Harry did, they would have to be very careful for guys like Eggsy snatching them up.

Which of course led to another thing he discovered here – he thought of Harry _differently_ now.

He still liked him. He still looked up to him. But he wanted to kiss him as well, and that urge was getting strong and surer, almost unbearable. And he felt like it was wrong, like he shouldn’t be doing this, shouldn’t have those wild fantasies about the man – it was like he forced him to do this with Eggsy, even though just in his mind, and it made him upset.

Also horny. But mostly upset.

The bad thing was – he couldn’t tell how Harry really felt. He was always protective of him, sure. He even got into this _fake relationship_ without complains, not having a single problem of playing a lover to a man, kissing when needed, making heart eyes. Eggsy thought he was a pretty good actor. But he also kind of hoped it was not _just_ acting.

Which was a really bad idea to begin with. Harry liked him, but why would he even wanted to be with somebody this unexperienced? Or with a man on top of that? There was this ugly, nagging little voice that kept on telling Eggsy that Harry was always by his side only because he felt guilty for his father’s death. Because he wanted to make it right and play the role Eggsy needed in his life. That there was nothing more, only the duty that needed to be fulfilled, and Eggsy always tried to shut that voice down, to quiet it to the minimum and stop it from poisoning his consciousness.

It didn’t always work. He always thought when they were _having a moment_ , or so it looked like, that Harry suddenly pulled back because he recognized Eggsy was getting attached, and he didn’t want that. He was his mentor, and that was about it. After all, all he had done was because he wanted to repay Eggsy’s dad, didn’t he. That was what he said to him the day before… Kentucky.

“Maybe you should talk to him about it?” Roxy suggested and he almost forgot he had been talking to her. There was a pure concern on her face and he didn’t really blame her – he must have looked like a pile of utter defeat.

“I don’t even know what to say,” he mumbled back, unhappy. “I mean, we have a sodding mission here, yeah. I can’t just fuck it up by my overactive fantasies.”

“Fantasies, hm?” she teased him a little, finally smiling at him, and Eggsy buried his face into a sleeve of his hoodie and whined.

He didn’t know what exactly he expected from telling her anyway – but he got exactly what he thought he would.

***

He wondered if going to watch the rest of Harry’s lesson was a bad idea, a good idea, or a blatant ignoring of headmaster’s wish to _stay low_ , but for all he cared it could have been all of those combined and he wouldn’t give a shite. The talk with Roxy had one main effect – he couldn’t stay alone and maul over it again or he would literally go mad. He didn’t feel like going running was a best idea either, since the football match left him already beaten enough – almost in a literal sense. Not to mention his head still hurt a bit from the hangover, which was actually ridiculous, because as soon as he started to think about it, the culprit of his today’s condition walked across him with a loud clicking of heels.

“Gary!” Becky exclaimed a little too loudly and cringed immediately. He thought it was safe to assume she was as bad as him with the state of her head, so he send her an apologetic smile and they met in the middle of the corridor.

“My head is killing me,” she informed him once she was close enough and sighed deeply, tucking a strand of her blond hair behind her ear. “I think we overdid it yesterday.”

“You think?” he chuckled. “Having a class?”

“Oh, no,” she quickly shook her head, smiling again. “Just ended mine. You have another?”

“Nope, wanted to go take a look at Harry’s,” he shrugged and she nodded silently, like she knew something he didn’t. It made him a little worried, because she wasn’t good at hiding things apparently, so he motioned to her to spill the beans. She skimmed towards the rest of the corridor and then to him before she actually seemed ready to talk more.

“I heard about that football match,” she piped, and that told him all he needed to know.

“Ah, about Headmaster No-Homo?” he snorted, rolling his eyes, and it made her smirk a little, even though still with a worried undertone. “Guess it spreads fast.”

“He was always very against affection in public,” she said quietly. “Couples being very obvious and inconsiderate of their environment were his number one worry few months ago.”

“Oh?” he raised an eyebrow, perking up a little. “He’s grouchy when people are all kissy kissy?”

She giggled, pushing him a little like retribution, and then nodded slightly, still with smile on her red lips.

“He’s very conservative,” she pointed out. “Dislike _inappropriate things_ , like… public affection. Brightly coloured hair, too short skirts…”

“Your skirt is pretty short,” he teased her in good humour. “Having a lil nepotism here, huh?”

“N-no!” her eyes widened and voice grew high pitched it almost sliced his brain in half.

“Was just a joke, Becky, calm down,” he quickly assured her, trying to get rid of the ringing in his ears, and she shut up, looking around nervously like he just spilled some big, forbidden secret. “Hey, how about we grab a coffee or somethin’ in a cafeteria? So you get your shite back again.”

“Didn’t you want to go to Harry’s class?” she asked rather dubiously, still fidgeting, and he waved his hand.

“It’s about to end anyway, I’ll see him at home,” he shrugged. “Didn’t mean to give you heart-attack, so lemme repay you?”

“Latte,” she answered grudgingly and it made him snort and nod towards the other way of the corridor.

“Sure, lady,” he winked at her and led the way.

Maybe there was more to the Headmaster No-Homo after all…

***

“You can’t really take students seriously,” she said with a soft hum, sipping her café latte with a straw, and Eggsy scratched his head and tried to ignore the bruised hand the best he could. “They usually don’t take it out on teachers. But sometimes…”

“It doesn’t matter I’m a teacher,” he opposed with a frown. “I’m a fucking human being, I don’t deserve being treated like trash just because I like it in the arse.”

She turned red in a second, almost choked on her coffee, and Eggsy sighed and promptly apologized. He seriously needed a filter on his mouth sometimes, especially when he felt the rage burning inside of him. At that point all borders usually fell, and when he tried not to succumb to violence, his mouth just ran without any means on stopping.

“The point is, they were all like I did something mortally offending,” he continued while Becky composed herself again, her eyes slightly teary from all the coughing. “I did shite. I didn’t even have the nerve and drag Harry in front of them and French him to death, for fuck’s sake.”

“I understand,” she nodded quietly. “But Professor Swanton…”

“Is a dickhead,” he uttered dryly and even though she didn’t respond, she looked like she agreed.

“But at least he didn’t get you fired,” she suggested after a moment. “You attacked a student. It could have ended very badly for you.”

“Ye,” he grumbled. “I’m _swooning_.”

“Hey,” she tapped on his left hand, her long, red fingernails slightly scratching. “You have lots of people on your side. As well as you have me. If there was something going on, we would stand up for you.”

It was nice, he thought. He never actually had anyone who would _stand up for him_ so easily, without any _buts_ or _only if._ Unconditional support just because they _liked_ him… it was a pretty good feeling. Even though he still had a hard time to accept it that easily.

“Thanks, Becky,” he smiled back at her warmly and she smiled as well, until suddenly her eyes skimmed up and her face grew a little more serious. It took Eggsy about half a second before he glanced behind him as well, judging from her reaction he expected the headmaster or someone equally horrible, but was pleasantly surprised it was Harry instead.

“Harry,” he called him with a relief, noting he wasn’t carrying any books or papers, and was missing a tie. He probably stopped at home before. “The class is over?”

“Pretty much,” the older man responded, but his tone was strangely cold, like he was angry or very close to it. Eggsy blinked in confusion, wondering what exactly could happen to make the agent this agitated, but there were so many possibilities it was difficult to pinpoint it.

“Something happened?” he asked rather nervously, rising up from the chair to get ready to leave if needed, and Harry took several steps forward until he was standing right next to Eggsy, and his hand sneaked around the blonde’s waist like a vine.

“Was just searching for you,” Harry said in the same, unattached voice and Eggsy felt he was being pulled closer, their sides touching and Harry’s fingers holding his hip like he wanted to brand him somehow. “If Miss Clarke doesn’t mind, I’d like to kidnap you now.”

“Oh, it’s quite alright,” she hastily responded, and Eggsy thought there was a slight tremor in her voice as well. He didn’t really blame her, as calm as Harry acted, there was strange darkness in his tone, a little threatening maybe, and Eggsy just _knew_ there was something going on. He must have found a new clue, or maybe Swanton called for him as well, or maybe he was ready to beat Eggsy up now because of that stunt he pulled at the football match.

“We’ll talk later,” Eggsy promised her with a tap of his fingers over the desk, and she managed a smile and a nod before her expression morphed back into a careful blankness. Eggsy didn’t really have time to add anything else since Harry moved and almost dragged the boy with him towards the exit of the otherwise almost empty cafeteria.

“What’s wrong?” Eggsy asked in a hushed voice, the strange forcefulness getting to him, and Harry made another five steps before he suddenly stopped again and turned towards the blond with a slight frown on his face.

“Your relation with her is wrong,” he bit out and before Eggsy could call him a tit and demand a proper answer, Harry grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him forward, mashing their mouths together.

Eggsy forgot to breathe and the last fleeting thought he had before his mind drowned in the white, buzzing noise, was _oh my god, yes_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> *dying whale noise*  
> Welp, please don't kill me QQ  
> This chapter is very... chatty, lol. Not very eventful. But i promise it should be a lil hotter the next one :) Somehow... xD


	18. A Showdown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I don’t trust her,” Harry brushed him off in the same tone and his steps got longer and faster. Eggsy had to almost jog to keep up with him. “Neither should you.”  
> “She’s a fucking teacher!”  
> “She’s a fucking suspect!” Harry snarled, suddenly stopping and looming over Eggsy like a threatening shadow. Eggsy felt like he should have been intimidated, like this was a mode Harry used when he was ready to start hitting people, but his self-respect was apparently not working today. “You can’t let attraction cloud your judgment, Eggsy, dammit!”

Eggsy thought there was nothing that could be more intense than having to save the world in the last second. That the rush of adrenalin was so strong, so powerful, that nothing could ever beat that feeling anymore, no matter how hard he would try.

He was wrong.

Being kissed by Harry Hart felt like he was being punished by the best way possible. It pumped his body with so much excitement he could barely contain it, his whole being tingling while Harry pressed him to the wall, plunging his mouth unmercifully. There was hunger in the insistence, need and an apparent enjoyment too – Harry’s lips were seizing him like the sweetest prison, devouring all noises he made, and there was no way Eggsy would pull away, _ever_. If he had any doubts until now, this whole scene dissipated it, leaving him adamantly sure that Harry was exactly what he _wanted_ , what he _craved,_ what he _needed._ He found himself clutching the man around his neck, pressing tightly back against him, and wondered if he ever kissed somebody like this, with all he had, trying to pour everything into the gesture. If he ever sucked on anybody’s tongue this way, if he ever bit them to their lower lip playfully, if he made such muffled sounds of happiness in the back of his throat like he did with Harry now.

And Harry was kissing him back, he was basically devouring him, his big hands cradling Eggsy’s face, thumbs sweeping over his jaw while he demandingly Frenched him, made a mess out of the boy with perfectly skilled mouth and the right amount of pressure, and it was so hot, so amazing that Eggsy almost forgot they were still outside, still in public, and he shouldn’t have be even thinking of circling Harry’s waist with his legs to find a needed friction. Because hell, he really needed it, he wanted it so much, preferably with no clothes on, and it was probably a little sick of him to be thinking of his mentor this way, but he couldn’t stop. Not when Harry was giving him exactly what he wanted, with an undying attention towards every reaction Eggsy had.

There was something possessive in the kiss, something darker than when they kissed before, and if Eggsy’s brain was functioning, he would probably try to analyse it. Sparking such reaction in his colleague meant he did something bad, something provoking, but if this was the result, he definitely should have been doing this more often.

Lick, kiss and lick again, and Eggsy’s head was spinning, and breath shortening, until he was almost blacking out, but stubbornly held on to the point where Harry was pulling away, slowly releasing his hold on the boy, taking the warmth with him. It took Eggsy a while before he realized it was really over, his mouth chasing Harry’s for a fraction of second before he came back to his senses and looked up, his pupils blown wide and lips parted and body on fire. Harry was looking into the room and Eggsy realized they hadn’t even left the cafeteria yet before Harry decided to go bonkers.

“She’s gone,” Harry uttered like nothing important transpired, and Eggsy blinked in confusion, his brain still sluggish and little overloaded.

“Huh…?” he voiced questioningly, his hands twitching on his sides in need to reach out again and pull Harry back.

“Your blond _friend_ ,” the agent looked back at him, his eyes somewhat displeased. “Thought this may turn her off.”

“What…?” Eggsy stared at him in a silent shock, suddenly sobering enough to understand the implements, but just _not believing_. He kissed him because he wanted to get rid of Becky? “Are you fucking kidding me?”

“I don’t want you to stay alone with her again,” Harry ignored the outburst coldly, glancing back to the room for a while and then back at the boy, as if he was making sure.

“Harry, seriously, what the fuck?” the blond barked out, the absolute bliss flooding away from his body unhappily – this was not how it was supposed to go, goddammit. He couldn’t just kiss him like he wanted to do that for ages and Eggsy was his fucking air he needed to breathe, and then just drop a bomb like this! “You can’t just do this to me out of blue, for fuck’s sake!”

The older man didn’t say anything, but his eyes adopted a cold, unattached look again, the one Eggsy seriously hated. It meant he locked him out and became that guy Eggsy met for the first time – unable to approach and talk to – and that made the blond even madder than the fact Harry did this whole thing for show again.

 _Well, what should I expect? We are on a fucking mission, not on honeymoon_.

“Try to avoid staying with her alone from now on,” Harry bit out, turned around and left the boy gaping standing at the wall without saying anything else. That was how he wanted to treat his partner? For real? Just _don’t stay with her alone_? What the actual fuck was going on?

Eggsy’s body moved faster than his thoughts could stop him and he was able to catch up with Harry in short notice. The older man was apparently heading back to the apartment - and good, that was actually brilliant, they needed the fucking privacy to talk this shite out, or Eggsy was going to explode for sure.

“Where the fuck do you think I got all the intel from?” he asked the man in hushed tone, but the anger was slowly seeping into his voice and he couldn’t stop it. “From Becky! She’s fucking alright, what’s your problem?”

“I don’t trust her,” Harry brushed him off in the same tone and his steps got longer and faster. Eggsy had to almost jog to keep up with him. “Neither should you.”

“She’s a fucking teacher!”

“She’s a fucking _suspect_!” Harry snarled, suddenly stopping and looming over Eggsy like a threatening shadow. Eggsy felt like he should have been intimidated, like this was a mode Harry used when he was ready to start hitting people, but his self-respect was apparently not working today.  “You _can’t_ let attraction cloud your judgment, Eggsy, dammit!”

 “I- are you fucking serious? You think I’m spending time with her cuz she’s hot?” he growled back and Harry hissed and resumed his walking again, his shoulders tense and hands balled into fists. Yes, he was really, really mad, but this wasn’t Eggsy’s fault. There was something more the man wasn’t telling him and that pissed him off. If he was ought to act like a primadonna, so was Eggsy.

“Harry, seriously-,”

“Hold it,” the agent shot out. “Until we are home.”

Eggsy did but he wasn’t happy about it.

***

“You’re acting like an utter arse.”

Eggsy wasn’t surprised Harry didn’t really react, but the way he shut the door close with a loud bang said it all. He never saw him acting like this – it was unprofessional as fuck, just suddenly asking for _not meeting_ with somebody, just because he thought they were _suspicious_ and reasoning like a five years old. And that fucking kiss!

“I have no idea what you have against Becky, but she’s chill and she _knows_ stuff, I’m not hanging out with her cuz I want to bone her,” he continued with a forced calm, even though he felt like shouting. He almost came in his pants in that stupid cafeteria, and now he was on board on strangling this insufferable guy.

“I never said that,” Harry opposed bitterly and it was clear how agitated he became, how painfully stiff he held himself, even when he stopped at the kitchen counter and leaned against it, crossing his arms on his chest like he was expecting an attack. Well, he was expecting it right, because Eggsy wanted to hit him, at least, to feel a little better.

“Yes, you did!” Eggsy barked out and rather threw himself on the chair, sitting there with bouncing legs and stress reaching critical numbers, so he was as far from Harry as possible. “Get your sodding facts right. You’re basically telling me to stop gathering intel just because you don’t like her or something.”

“I _don’t_ like her,” Harry offered as a response, and it was gruff and unhappy, like he was disappointed with himself. He sighed and took down his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance.

“Well, that’s fucking peachy,” Eggsy commented dryly. Where did this even come from? What made Harry to get so immature he decided to throw tantrums around? Eggsy thought that was his job, if anything, to get childish when something was against his wish – he still had that _unexperienced_ label on him that could excuse it. But Harry was always chiding him for being too emotionally invested in things he should have stayed cold to, so this outburst definitely smelled fishy.

The older man suddenly chuckled, but it sounded unhappy, like he was laughing only because the situation needed it, but he didn’t really want to. Eggsy glared at him from his spot, trying to find something that wouldn’t involve calling him a dimwit, until Harry spoke again, this time with surprising softness in his voice that Eggsy hadn’t been expecting.

“It’s ridiculous,” he concluded. “Here I am giving you a speech about not letting your attraction clouding your judgement, and I’m doing to same fucking mistake.”

Eggsy froze mid-move, the simple statement rushing through his skull like a bullet, leaving him out of breath. An attraction? Did he mean… towards Eggsy? He couldn’t mean Becky, could he, saying that he didn’t like her and all. So it left only Eggsy - that only him was making a normally composed and professional Harry Hart an impulsive mess, _a careless_ one.

Just like Merlin said.

Eggsy’s heart finally caught up with the information as well and started pumping like crazy - it almost deafened him how the blood roared in his ears – and he found himself standing up and approaching his colleague in slow, almost predatory pace, circling him so he could stop right in front of him, looking up at the man’s face.

“Harry,” he started, quietly. “Do you want to tell me somethin’?”

“I just did,” Harry replied shortly and it was tense and a little sharp over the edges, maybe also defensive, and Eggsy kind of understood, because it was big. Bigger than a stupid _do not blow up the mission_ or _pretend you’re a math-wiz_ – no. This was Harry Hart telling him something absolutely huge and important in his own stupid language Eggsy halfway understood and halfway considered gibberish.

“Tell me _somethin_ ’,” Eggsy insisted and took a tiny step forward – he wasn’t brave enough for any more for how hard his heart was pounding and breath hitching in his throat. He wasn’t even sure he was ready to hear it, or ready to accept everything that went with it, but he would be damned if he didn’t try.

Harry watched him quietly for a while, like he was studying him, memorizing everything about Eggsy’s face, or maybe reading his mind, and his expression softened, lines relaxed and lips stopped to be so tightly pressed together, and Eggsy thought it was a good sign, the best one ever. It meant Eggsy gave him reassurance that he was ready for it, whatever it was, and it made his stomach do funny flips and release the butterflies as well.

“You’re so young,” the first words sounded, delicately. “I don’t… mean to sound like I’m patronizing you, but you _need_ to be protected. I overreacted, and I apologize, but I’m doing it for your safety.”

“For my…” Eggsy halted, his eyes growing wide for a second before a crashing reality almost swept him over the edge.

“If she’s giving you an important intel, then it was wrong for me to stop you,” the older man continued steadily, like he suddenly composed himself to a perfect degree, probably sapping all that strength from Eggsy alone, since he felt like crumbling after each word Harry said. “But I still think she’s not… safe. Please be careful around her.”

“Is that all?” Eggsy croaked out in the last, defiant attempt and Harry looked away for a moment, like he was searching for the right words, or maybe thinking of how to crush Eggsy’s hopes a bit more – and really, how could Eggsy be so naïve? This man was a fucking icon, he was so above all this shite, how could he even think there could have been something more? He should have thought before he acted, for real, and stop listening to all those _so fucking lovingly_ talks, because it only rotted his brain and made him hopeful for affection like a sodding lost puppy waiting for a treat after a well done trick, and that was sick, so fucking sick.

Also so fucking typical – what was he even expecting to change after all those years of having zero luck in finding some peace and quiet, right?

“I’m sorry we had to have this conversation,” Harry delivered calmly. “My fault. I should have had more faith in you, and I apologize for that slip.”

“Yeah,” Eggsy echoed, but he felt hollow, like something dug a hole inside of him and he just stopped being a master of his body altogether. If he had the power to give it a thought, he would have to congratulate himself for being able to put a smile on his face and nod, and saying something like _no harm done_ or maybe _go fuck yourself and let me die somewhere, curled in a ball and lick my wounds_. It was probably the first option though, since Harry had the nerve to squeeze his shoulder in a thankful gesture and leave the room to go change into better clothes, or wank or whatever that guy wanted to do.

Eggsy stood there a little longer, listening to his own heartbeat and surprisingly calm breath, until there was nothing he could focus on except Harry’s footsteps in the next room, and had to leave.

He never felt this empty in his whole life. It hurt like a bitch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Okay, so. This chapter... I'm very, very anxious about it. Also I apologize for it as well. Tell me what you think? (please don't hit me in the process QQ)


	19. Running

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What else did they say?” he growled, and yeah, it must have been pretty obvious by now that he was bloody pissed as hell – he wasn’t even trying to hide it.   
> “That he got jealous over Miss Clarke?” Sarah continued, although more cautiously now. “I mean, you two seem really friendly and she has that reputation…”  
> “Reputation?” he repeated with a frown, deflating a little, and Sarah gave out a tiny shrug.

It was pitch black when he got back to the apartment, quiet and a little creepy. He stumbled across the living room, almost tripped over a rug and stopped at the doors to the bedroom like it was sealed with an invisible magic.

He was so _tired_. He was almost exhausted, on verge of losing consciousness just because his body demanded it after so many kilometres in his legs, but the place where he could actually get the blissed sleep seemed like full of thorns that wanted to seize him and hurt him a bit more again.

He knew he was going to wake Harry up. He knew Harry would demand answers where Eggsy had been for four hours, maybe give him some more pep talk about safety, and Eggsy wondered if he was tired enough for ignoring it, or if he was going to snap at him to _shut the fuck up_.

It wasn’t like he blamed the man. He could never do that to Harry – after all, this guy was his father’s friend, and he knew Eggsy since he was little, it would be a miracle if he could see the boy as something more than a kid he had to take care of, Eggsy saw it now.

It didn’t stop him from pining though.

But for how painful it felt now, and how stupid it actually sounded in his head, Harry was doing his job. And his job was to pretend Eggsy was his lover, so he had all the rights to go and kiss him in public when he felt like it was needed – and since he had a thing against Becky, there _was_ a reason. He didn’t do it because he couldn’t help himself, or because he was jealous or because Eggsy was _right there_ and _kissable_. He did it because Harry Hart was doing things efficiently and thoroughly, and because he could stay professional – even though he apologized for slipping with being too overprotective.

No, Eggsy wasn’t an idiot, and deep down he expected to be refused anyway, so maybe it shouldn’t had hit him this hard when it actually came. His life was like a repeating cycle of bad decisions and even worse consequences, so another trophy to his collection didn’t really make much of a difference.

It was just a little harder to go lie next to the man and act like everything was fine and dandy now, even though Harry wasn’t to blame. Eggsy had to repeat that to himself every single moment his consciousness wanted to put the guilt on him, somehow, to share the shitty state he was in now – not to mention he was _never_ hit this hard by falling for somebody, no matter who it was or how in love he thought he was.

In love with Harry Hart. How desperate was that? How real? It took him the whole four hours to come up with a reason this made him so upset, until his brain just pulled out the _love_ excuse. Like being attracted wasn’t enough, he just had to put something more into the mix, something even more unreachable and unrealistic, something that would label him _an idiot_.

Something he would never get back.

Eggsy shed the muddy trousers and sweaty shirt, and his whole being ached on board of uncomfortable. He should have gone to take a shower, but all he could do was shuffle towards the bed and turn his brain off while climbing onto the mattress, trying very hard to ignore Harry’s slowly stirring form turning to him with a concerned expression.

“Eggsy-,”

“I’m beat,” the blond interrupted him, scrambling for a blanket and then lying on his back, staring into the ceiling, as far from Harry as he could be. “Night, Harry.”

There was only silence and Eggsy thought it was the best and the most merciful response he could get. He fell asleep in a minute.

The night was restless, mostly. He woke up about ten times during it, his body defensively curled with his back turned towards his partner, and each time he stirred awake there was almost a full body jerk that woke Harry up as well. The first time there was immediately a hand resting on Eggsy’s back, like Harry was used to doing this every night, to offer a comfort, and it made the boy tenser than he was willing to admit.

“Are you alright?” Harry asked in a soothing voice, a nice one, a concerned one that was meant to make Eggsy calm down. It would work, probably, if this was about his regular nightmares he was apparently having, but this time it wasn’t a nightmare waking him up, but his own jumbled thoughts of uncomfortableness and tension.

“Fine,” Eggsy mumbled, feeling that venomous streak hitting him, wanting him to spit out something angry and hurt about whose fault it was, but he kept it inside and just shrugged it off, making Harry to lose the contact and retreat back. “Just can’t sleep.”

“Do you want to talk?” Harry inquired again, sleepily now, like the tiredness got back to him from the sudden shock of waking up, and Eggsy shook his head and scrambled out of the bed.

“Not really. Sorry for waking you up,” he said back and decided the best thing he could do right now was to take a shower to cool his head. Harry didn’t say anything back, but Eggsy saw him sitting up in the reflection of the mirror and watching the boy leaving with a weird expression on his face. Eggsy couldn’t really put it anywhere, so he just let it be and locked himself in the bathroom like an idiot.

He wasn’t fifteen anymore. He was able to control his stupid brain and not making a scene. He wasn’t a lovesick teenager.

And yet every time it came up he felt paralyzed and unhappy, and it wasn’t even Harry’s fault, but his consciousness blamed it on him anyway, just to make it easier for Eggsy to bear.  

It was also him who ran away from the flat once the clock hit 5 am, even though it was Saturday and he didn’t have any class to go to.

He just needed to get the hell out before Harry would ask again.

***

“Mr. Everett!”

Eggsy stopped in his tracks, the name surprisingly ringing the bell right after it was said, and turned around to spot three students walking towards him with surprised expression on their faces. They were all dressed in jogging suits and apparently wanted to go running.

“And what are you doing here? It’s Saturday,” he watched them questioningly and immediately recognized Sarah and Kevin, alongside with a kid whose name he couldn’t really recall. He probably wasn’t from his class at all.

“Decided to stay over the weekend,” Sarah immediately answered, pushing her glasses up. “Too much studying and at home it’s one big circus, so here it’s better.”

He shrugged, his body itching to move to get that weird tension out, and he had to ball his hands to fists to ground himself somehow. He couldn’t afford his thoughts catching up with him, not after an hour of running already behind him.

“Are you running as well?” Kevin asked curiously, looking strangely pumped about it, and Eggsy contemplated on refusing and just let them go their way, until a better company won, so he nodded in agreement.

“Come run with us!” Sarah immediately offered, all cheery. “It’s going to be awesome!”

He didn’t even have strength to say something more, so he just tagged along with them, and it helped him a lot, listening to their breathless chatter instead of his own thoughts.

“You look sad,” Kevin piped when Sarah with Greg, as the boy introduced himself, fell into a heated conversation over some weird-ass math problem Eggsy was afraid to even think of, and their pace got slower until they were just walking along the main road. They really ran about two miles, which was pretty good, considering how Kevin almost spitted his lungs out.

“Do I?” Eggsy uttered, keeping his eyes forward. He felt like his face was permanently stony now, without any indication of wanting to smile or change it anyhow, like it would crack.

“Yeah,” Kevin mumbled. “Like something happened. Did something happen?”

“Nah,” he refused quietly. “Just not feeling very chipper.”

“Well, they say you had an argument with Professor DeWitt,” he heard Sarah talking and it made him cringe. What the hell was even kept secret in this school? So they knew about the argument – they probably knew about that fucking kiss as well, which meant the headmaster was probably going to have a field day with it and kick them out at the first hello.

“What else did they say?” he growled, and yeah, it must have been pretty obvious by now that he was bloody pissed as hell – he wasn’t even trying to hide it.

“That he got jealous over Miss Clarke?” Sarah continued, although more cautiously now. “I mean, you two seem really friendly and she has that _reputation_ …”

“Reputation?” he repeated with a frown, deflating a little, and Sarah gave out a tiny shrug.

“Her _sexual adventures_ ,” she pointed out and took down her glasses to clean them up with the rub of her hoodie. “With basically anyone.”

“What?” he stared at her dubiously and she sighed like it was super obvious.

“Well, it’s not really a common knowledge,” she mumbled. “Or it shouldn’t be. But everyone knows about her affairs. Especially with students.”

“She slept with students?” That sounded so unreal! Also absolutely unacceptable in this _institute_ , with how uptight the headmaster was.

“Well, that’s how the club room got so well known, you see,” she winked like she was telling him a huge, forbidden secret – and hell, she probably was. “Because she made out with her own student in there – and the vid was out before they pulled pants up.”

“She must have been called out on it!” he gaped and Sarah nodded.

“She did, especially by students. It was an affair, you see. A huge thing. She almost got expelled because the parents of the boy wanted her out.  Not to mention the girlfriend of his… she wanted to make it known,” she nudged Greg meaningfully. “Right?”

“Kinda,” the boy answered a little shyly. “But then the girl got into an accident and it all went to shit.”

“She wanted to make a mess out of it and suddenly she had an accident?” Eggsy stopped, staring at them in shock. “Are you shitting me?”

“Weird, yeah?” Sarah agreed. “But it was completely unrelated, even though it played out for Miss Clarke. The girl was drunk and drove home, hit another car on her way.”

“Died?

“Yeah,” Kevin nodded solemnly. “On spot. It was pretty rough time. Clarke got lots of dirt on her, that she was the cause and everything. I’m actually surprised she’s still working here after all that, parents were livid.”

“When did that happen?” Eggsy asked, a weird, dull feeling in his stomach growing. For having such history she sure behaved like she didn’t learn from it and kept on making eyes on random guys around. So he got threatened to get booted out of there and she had this on her shirt and the headmaster was happy with her?

“A year ago?” Sarah glanced at Greg and the boy shrugged. “Maybe two. Not really sure.”

“Is there a rumour of her… having another secret relationship, maybe?” he tried, unhappily, and Sarah shook her head.

“Not that I know of,” she added, tapping her foot.

“Not even with the headmaster?” he offered and Kevin made a choking noise, waving his hand dismissively.

“Nasty,” Greg hummed.

 _Guess not_.

“But the point is,” Kevin started again, resuming the walking, so others immediately followed him. “You’ve been seen with her a lot. I think, given all this about her, Professor DeWitt was right to get concerned, yeah?”

Eggsy wondered if Harry really knew that – because if he did, why wouldn’t he tell him? Why would he just say she was “suspicious”? Why not telling him there was a death that could have been caused by her, somehow, and a video tape capturing her having sex with a student? Was Harry working just on a hunch?

“I take it that she’s not very popular in the school then?” he dodged the question about Harry, and Sarah seemed to agree.

“She’s… not exactly liked there,” she answered honestly. “I mean, shit happens. But… she acts weird for somebody who might have caused death of an innocent girl.”

“Slutty, you meant to say,” Kevin piped. “Like she doesn’t even care.”

Eggsy found it difficult to comprehend at that moment, because all he knew about Becky was she couldn’t really drink, was kind of awkward and told him lots of useful information, even though it was more of a gossip. But gossip was always started with a real event, no matter how farfetched it became, so he believed her. This whole thing… suddenly he wasn’t so sure.

“I just wouldn’t be too friendly with her if I were you,” Sarah said with a serious tone. “She tends to break into relationship, messing it up. Then people usually drop out.”

_The dead ones? The ones she called dropouts?_

“They never came back because she had something to do with it?”

“That’s the rumour,” Greg answered instead. “Although I heard they died.”

“Stop being creepy,” Sarah pushed into the boy with a disgusted groan and Eggsy felt his heartbeat speeding up.

Harry was right. Becky was bad news. Now just to find out _how_ bad she really was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Sorry for the lack of hartwin in this one! Thank you all for your wonderful comments, it made me so happy and all your ideas and point outs were amazing and so spot on! Thank you! <3


	20. Becky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Sorry about that,” he immediately caught on the topic, deciding this was the best approach how to start the conversation he wanted. “Harry was just jealous. He tends to do that, although usually in private. Sorry you had to witness it.”  
> “It’s alright,” she replied softly. “I bet he had his reasons.”  
> “Yeah, he’s a caveman, that’s his reason,” Eggsy mumbled, burying lower to the cushion.

_Eggsy was frantic, hurting and absolutely unable to move. His mind was reeling, trying to think of something, anything that would help him somehow, but nothing doable came. His hands were tied, his right shoulder felt sore to the point of being numb, and he couldn’t get himself to his feet even if somebody paid him for it._

_“What do you mean you didn’t find him?” he heard female’s voice. His head was buzzing, he couldn’t even properly make up words. He tasted blood in his mouth and everything was sort of blurred, unclear._

_“We will,” another voice replied, male now. “Take care of this one.”_

_“Stop bossing me around,” the female barked out and Eggsy tried to analyse the voice, to pinpoint who it belonged to, but his mushed up brain wasn’t able to stay focused. “Get Dewitt here as fast as possible.”_

 

**5 hours earlier**

Eggsy didn’t really have much time to think, or to be patient. He knew if he told Harry, the older agent would stop him, and he didn’t have time for dealing with his mother hen tendencies right now. If Becky was guilty – if she really had been doing all those things – she couldn’t have been doing it alone. There had to be confederates, people working with her, helping with the kidnapping. If he was ought to expose her, somehow, he needed to be clever and discreet as possible. As much as he trusted Harry to deal with this professionally, it screamed for a different approach for now – the one only Eggsy could provide.

He left his running buddies behind with an excuse of being already tired and was thankful Merlin actually gave them functioning cell phones, and that Eggsy was smart enough to take Becky’s number that night they were out drinking.

Harry was out of the flat as well – a plus point at that moment, so Eggsy quickly changed, dialled Becky’s number and waited until she picked up, all surprised of him calling her on Saturday.

“Hey, was just a little bored, what are you doing?” he asked as casually as he could, and she chuckled like he amused her to no end.

“Nothing, really,” she answered happily. “I’m at home, opened a bottle of red, reminiscing about my life. Not fun, but maybe you can keep me company?”

“Maybe I can,” he agreed swiftly, looking at the clock.  It showed one in the afternoon and he was too busy to think about her drinking so early during the day. “If you don’t mind me?”

“Not at all, Gary,” she assured him, sounding pleased, and Eggsy stopped on his way outside the flat. If she was really what everything pointed at her to be, going there empty handed seemed foolish. He quickly stepped back inside and took his watch and glasses, just to be sure. He considered a gun as well, but thought it too drastic. He didn’t mean to kill her, that thought didn’t even cross his mind, so he left the weapon there, lying dormant.

“Great, tell me your address then?” he piped, leaving the apartment in quick pace while she told him the needed place. He secretly hoped they were wrong about her, but the closer he got to her home, the more unsure he became. When he stood at her doorstep and pressed the bell, he was feeling his heart beating wildly up in his throat, a shot of adrenalin from possible fight raising in him, even though he couldn’t really believe Becky would be able to lift something even remotely heavy, for how thin and fragile looking she was. But he learned not to trust appearances – Harry taught him, actually – so he remained sharp and focused, and perfectly controlled his expression when the door finally opened with her standing in between them.

She was dressed casually, which gave him a tiny fraction of relief. If she would be all dressed up for him, even though she had been home until now, it would put another notch into his mentally kept score of her being a potential killer luring its prey closer.

But no, she greeted him in comfortable looking shirt and sweat pants, her hair was up in a ponytail and she was barefoot and without make up. If he saw her like that for the first time, he would say she was pretty normal looking, no vamp, no hunter of men or seducer – just a simple adult woman.

“Hey!” she greeted him with a big smile and Eggsy found himself responding easily, his core in an eerie calm and focus, and he let her lead him inside of the nice looking flat, full of modern, mostly red furniture, with big, artistic looking paintings on the walls. It looked comfortable, but also warm, on board of hot and fierce, like she was aiming for leaving the most passionate impression possible.

“Wow, nice place,” he commented to keep it friendly and she winked at him and gestured towards a big, wide looking armchair that could probably hold about three people at once. He sat down without delay and even accepted the glass with wine she handed him, even though he wasn’t planning on tasting it. The bad thing was – he really didn’t know what to expect from her now. She looked cheery and pleased he was here, but if she was aiming on getting rid of him, an innocently handed glass with alcohol was the perfect and the easiest weapon from all. He learned the hard way after all.

“You surprised me,” she told him once she got seated across the table from him on another armchair, her feet tucked under her legs and wine in hand. “I thought I’d spent the weekend watching Bridget Jones and drinking wine alone.”

“If you find it more appealing, I can still leave,” he offered with faked teasing, and she giggled and shook her head.

“No, I’m glad you’re here. I wasn’t sure if you’d even talk to me again after that… incident in cafeteria yesterday,” she looked apologetic for a while, like something horrible happened, even though it was just Harry showing his dominancy over Eggsy like a caveman. It probably seemed kind of rough, the boy admitted, from the third person view.

“Sorry about that,” he immediately caught on the topic, deciding this was the best approach how to start the conversation he wanted. “Harry was just jealous. He tends to do that, although usually in private. Sorry you had to witness it.”

“It’s alright,” she replied softly. “I bet he had his reasons.”

“Yeah, he’s a caveman, that’s his reason,” Eggsy mumbled, burying lower to the cushion.

“I heard you were arguing as well though, so…” she looked away shyly and he had to give her ten points for being such a good actress it this was faked.

“We did,” he shrugged, giving her an impression she wanted. “A bit.”

She just watched him like she was waiting for something more, and Eggsy sighed and made a vague gesture with his hand. If she could play a game, he could as well.

“Okay, a lot,” he said shortly and there was an understanding in her blue eyes. “And we are not talking to each other now. Which… is not the point why I came here though. I’m just… really tired of dealing with him, that’s all.”

“Are you?” she tilted her head to the side curiously, but not like she was doubting him. She seemed genuinely concerned and he wasn’t sure how exactly should he work with it. Playing a lover in a middle of a spat was easier though, just trying to act hurt and betrayed – and it was ridiculous how easy it flowed out of him after the talk they had with Harry.

“Sort of…?” he tried a little quieter now. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you with it.”

“You’re not worrying me with it,” she assured him after she sipped her wine. “I caused it after all, I need to offer you some comfort.”

“Thanks,” he cracked the saddest smile he could. “You’re really great, Becky, for real.”

“Flatterer,” she giggled and he sat a little straighter again, putting the glass on the table next to him in the most casual manner, so he could ditch it without being obvious.

“I kinda wish some things never happened, you know,” he continued a little mournfully, and her face softened again, almost to the point where she looked like she was able to start a kitten therapy.

“Like what?” she asked him gently and Eggsy’s mind reeled, trying to get the most of this moment without sounding like a whiny idiot.

“Like never meeting him,” he carefully laid the first stupid trap. Or maybe even more idiotic thought of his – never meeting Harry Hart would cause him less pain in several doses, even though it would leave him in even worse shithole, playing with fire every day of his life. Not that he didn’t now, but this was a good burn he could get, a meaningful one. “Never knowing he existed would be pretty good right now. I… wouldn’t be hurting so much at least.”

“Are you hurting?” she asked almost in a whisper, and he managed to nod without looking like he waited for it.

“Ye… kinda,” he admitted, and it was easy to say this because he really was. Stupidly, unreasonably, but he did. “It’s… difficult. Not talking to somebody you l-love so much. There’s just this big, gaping hole instead. And I don’t know what to do with myself now, if I should talk to him and swallow my pride, or act like nothing happened or just… wait.”

“Waiting is even more painful though, isn’t it,” she pointed out with a sad look and he had to pat himself on a shoulder for job well done. He was apparently believable to the point of her looking like she wanted to cry – and if she wasn’t acting on this as well, he thought he deserved an Oscar.

If it wasn’t actually all true.

He nodded only and kept quiet until she leaned over the table to squeeze his hand in reassuring gesture – a warm, helpful one, if he wasn’t here to expose her. Why were serial killers always this friendly? A scarce tactics for somebody this coldblooded to be able to kill innocent people.

“I’m sorry for dumping it all on you, it’s mean of me,” he kept his hand under hers like he was grateful for it. “But… you’re the only person I can talk to here.”

She gave him a small, almost private smile and squeezed his hand one more time before letting go, sitting back properly.

“Wouldn’t he be angry that you’re here?” she inquired after a moment and Eggsy didn’t even need to pretend here – Harry would be fucking furious.

“Ye,” he mumbled. “He probably would.”

_Minus the probably. He’d kill me himself if he had a chance._

“But this is just talking, ye? Nothing to be bonkers over,” he sighed dramatically to make the situation easier somehow and not pointing out Harry’s apparent inclinations of getting pissed off over small matters. “Not to mention he’s usually pretty chill. That whole fucking club room started all this. The privacy just went away with it, and Harry got antsy over it.”

She remained quiet and Eggsy sensed a chance to get the club room topic out a little more before she would stop him.

“I mean… the whole school knew, suddenly. If I knew there was this possibility, we wouldn’t even set a foot in there. It should be taken down, for everyone’s sake,” he gestured wildly, noting her reactions carefully. She seemed stiffer somehow, although it could have been just his imagination. “It’s just destroying people’s lives, innit?”

“Well,” she said shortly, contemplating. “It has been going on about three years I think.”

“I thought it’s new?”

“No, not really,” she looked into her glass as if she was searching for an answer there. “I think students are taking it as a… fifteen seconds of fame thing. They don’t have much shame, youngers today, you see. When they found out it works, they had been trying it since.”

“So somebody’s supposedly private video leaked out I assume?” he pointed her at the right track, trying to push her where he needed her.

“You mean you _know_ ,” she looked at him blankly and Eggsy backtracked a little, blinked in surprise at her suddenly a lot colder tone. “Suddenly talking about the club room and fucking people’s life, I gather you already learned about my past? But since you’re too… _you,_ you’re trying to make me say it instead of asking directly. Which… I appreciate.”

“Sorry,” he shot out, his heart wild again, trying to save the situation before it escalated. “Was I too obvious?”

“Yes,” she uttered, looking away, and Eggsy chided himself in his head like a sailor. Too pushy, too forceful, too impatient. He could almost hear Harry saying this to him with this disappointed expression of his.

“But I understand,” she added in a softer tone and put the almost empty glass she was holding back on the table. “So here I am, saying it. I had sex with a student there. We had an affair and it wasn’t supposed to get known like this. We just wanted… a place to hide. A place where we could be alone.”

Eggsy nodded silently and she pushed a lose strand of her hair behind her ear.

“It was about half a year. He had a girlfriend – I knew it. But it wasn’t working out, he didn’t…” she trailed off, anxiously now, and Eggsy had an urge to pat her over her head or something, sooth her maybe. “I was stupid. New and young and stupid. But he was so mature for his age, so… smart and witty, and everything about him was perfect. And… we didn’t know the club room was recorded. I swear we didn’t… we just needed a place to be with each other for a while, because we couldn’t do that in public. We couldn’t touch, our looks couldn’t linger. When you’re in love… well. You understand, don’t you.”

“I do,” he agreed with her quietly. It wasn’t like he had to maintain such secrecy before, that he fell for somebody forbidden, but his current _oh fuck, I fell for Harry Hart and he thinks I’m just a kid, fuck my life_ was enough of a hassle at times.

“Somebody told him about this place. So we came there, we made love,” she said. “But before we could even get dressed back, the whole school _knew_. I bet you can imagine the reaction.”

“His girlfriend?” he offered and Becky’s lips thinned unhappily into a straight line.

“She was livid. She wanted to drag me out by my hair and kick me, shouted at me, degraded me in front of the whole school,” she pulled her knees under her chin defensively and Eggsy thought of a child, that was what she reminded him of. “I admit I was to blame. But I probably also hoped he would act as well, that he would defend me, somehow. It takes two to tango after all. But he never did. He made it sound like I seduced him and it was my own fault. It was a huge, terrible affair. I almost lost my job. And then… the girl died.”

“A car accident though, no?” he piped and Becky nodded shortly.

“It didn’t matter though. She died because of me, that was what had everyone been telling me all this time. It was like I was the one driving the car, not her, drunk. But such is life, right?”

Eggsy remained quiet, a little overwhelmed, and Becky seemed like she didn’t want to talk anymore, until she suddenly spoke up again, a little louder now.

“Since then I got punished a lot. I was so desperate for love, Gary. I admit, I suck with this, I suck with being alone, it’s making me absolutely devastated. So I was trying to find somebody, and students took it as a challenge. As a sport.”

Eggsy frowned, not liking where it was heading, and Becky’s lower lip trembled how she was trying to keep something unhappy in.

“I fall in love easily,” she uttered next. “Someone is nice to me, and then show interest, and I’m done, I fall hard and that’s it. And with that, I was just another notch for them. They were counting how many sweet words they have to tell me for me to give in, how many touches, how many kisses. Playing it sincere and nice, like they understood how hard it was for me. But then, when they were satisfied, they just kicked me away, telling me I was exactly the slut everyone was saying I was, and left me hurting again. Over and over again. One even told me to go kill myself because I was so filthy.”

Eggsy forgot to breathe for a moment. They were doing this to her since the affair? Several times? Was that even mentally bearable? Was she even honest? If this was a made up lie, it was a good one.             

“It’s degrading, Gary. It really, really is,” she continued sternly. “If somebody tells you it’s easy not to take what people say seriously… he’s lying. It’s not possible under such onslaught to keep insight and stay untouched. Not when they are trying so hard to break you. So yes. A girl died because I fooled around with her boyfriend. And lots of other boys fooled around with me and their girlfriends got mad and I was always the one to blame, so,” she quieted down again and then barely whispered: “Sue me.”

Eggsy knew he should have said something, but nothing really came. It shattered all his accusations in his throat, killed the possible motives she could have – and yeah there were motives in it, with her being angry about boys deceiving her like this. The question was – were the murdered couples the ones playing pranks at her or not? Asking her for concrete names would prove difficult and suspicious, he knew that, but how could he be sure without it?

“I should have told you the first time the club room came to notice, but… it’s not something I’m proud of. What I mean by telling you all this is… they told you their version. I’ve wanted you to know mine. That’s all,” she mumbled after a moment again, keeping her gaze aimed at her toes. “I should probably just change schools. Start anew. Or maybe the whole career? I’m probably not fit to teach young people anyway…”

“Becky,” he called her, making her look back at him, her eyes already red and ready to spill tears all over, making it a displeasing picture of pure desperation. “All those bastards that were trying to fool you around… were they the ones that dropped out later on?”

She blinked, confusion apparent, and no, this was not how a killer would react by him calling her out on it, he knew for sure. Her body language was wrong for the motive, her eyes lacked the intensity, the desperate attempt to think of a possible excuse, or, on the other hand, the necessary coldness needed to play it confidently. Becky was unsure, sad and unhappy, but she definitely wasn’t lying to him.

“No,” she sniffled after, confirming his suspicion. “Few of them already graduated, but usually they all are sophomores now…”

“Change schools,” he said resolutely. “You need the fresh start for sure. This much shite you’ve been through… you don’t deserve it. So do it.”

Tears spilled over her cheeks in a second and Eggsy knew for sure her trail was a dead end, so he got up and took her around her shoulders, shook her slightly and told her it was going to be alright.

She calmed down after ten minutes and thanked him for hearing her out. It made Eggsy happier, but also even more worried – if it wasn’t Becky, he was at the starting point again.

“Thanks for coming today, Gary,” she said two and half hours later, smiling slightly again when they were standing at the main door. “You should work it out with Harry as soon as you can. You two are so nice to look at, I can tell you’re suffering without him. If you ever needed anything…”

“Thanks,” he squeezed her hand and she squeezed him back. “You’re the boss, Becky. Think of what I told ya, yeah?”

“I will,” she assured him, nodding. “Good luck with your man.”

“Will need it,” he joked, even though it made his stomach lurch unpleasantly, and let go of her. “See ya on Monday?”

“On Monday,” she agreed and waved him off. Eggsy turned around with a smile on his face until he heard Becky screaming his name and a dull, heavy object hit him to the back of his head and everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> First of all - sorry, this chapter is just talking, talking, talking, lacking Harry and all, but it's important, because the shit hit the fan in here and the next chapter should be more action-y. Harry included. So bear with me and sorry for the long, useless trash talk in there.
> 
> Thank you all for your amazing comments and ideas and opinions! I love you all for it, seriously, so helpful! <3


	21. Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You’re not really a teacher, are you,” she mumbled, not really looking at him, but her hand squeezed back.  
> “What gave me away?” Eggsy joked in an attempt to make her calmer, or at least to focus at something else. “My zero math skills?”

Eggsy was frantic, hurting and absolutely unable to move. His mind was reeling, trying to think of something, anything that would help him somehow, but nothing doable came. His hands were tied, his right shoulder felt sore to the point of being numb, and he couldn’t get himself to his feet even if he really wished for it.

“What do you mean you didn’t find him?” he heard female’s voice. His head was buzzing, he couldn’t even properly make up words. He tasted blood in his mouth and everything was sort of blurred, unclear.

“We will,” another voice replied, male now. “Take care of this one.”

“Stop bossing me around,” the female barked out and Eggsy tried to analyse the voice, to pinpoint who it belonged to, but his mushed up brain wasn’t able to stay focused. “Get Dewitt here as fast as possible.”

It took him a while, probably longer than it should have, before he understood they were talking about Harry, about _his_ Harry, and it turned his blood to ice. This was it – this was what they came here for, the kidnapping, the possible killing after, and all he could do was rush into it like an idiot while getting actually abducted and seized like a helpless moron. His glasses were off his face and shattered, at least what he saw from the rest of them lying in front of him. He didn’t even get what happened to him from the moment he left Becky’s flat – her screaming his name, and then the hit and nothing until now. Since it was a mighty impact, something that actually knocked him out, he thought of a man doing it, which would leave Becky out – if she hadn’t have a helper waiting for Eggsy to leave. But why would she scream?

He heard door opening and then footsteps approaching, and his body stiffened. The room he was kept in was dark and cold, looking more like a warehouse or maybe a cellar, with random boxes threw around, and dirty, concrete floor that was bruising his knees when he moved too suddenly.

A flash of too bright light blinded him for a second, and he squinted against it, his head pounding painfully, until he finally recognized it was a flashlight that was aiming at him, and two silhouettes standing behind it.

“Good job, you’re awake,” a girl spoke, and suddenly Eggsy _knew_ , and the revelation almost made him choke. The voice belonged to Sarah – his student Sarah from the fucking math class, and it felt so unreal, so _not seen it coming_ he couldn’t believe for a moment it was reality, that his consciousness was actually still sane and ready to accept the truth.

And yet there she was, when the white, blinking spots disappeared and he finally got to see their faces, this pretty brown  haired girl with glasses stared back at him with a weird expression on her face, and next to her always too enthusiastic Kevin who now looked like he attended a funeral.

“No fucking way,” he breathed out, absolutely paralyzed by the fact he was not even remotely aware, and those two young people just looked at him with a mocking indifference, like they weren’t involved, or just didn’t think big of it.

“You’re very easy to deceive, Mr. Everett,” Sarah tilted her head to the side. “Just a bit shaming on that blond bimbo and you ran to her like a lost puppy. And here I thought getting you where we wanted would take a lot more effort than that.”

He couldn’t help but stare, his mind too flooded to be able to react accordingly, and his expression must have say it all, because Kevin snorted and nodded to him.

“Seems you’ve broke him already,” the boy said and Sarah flung her long hair over her shoulder and leaned forward to the blond, her eyes dangerously focused at him.

“I thought warning you might have sparked something logical in you, you see,” she dropped her voice into a whisper. “That you’d understand that keeping away from her is better for you. And yet you have proven that you’re just another sheep too blinded by that slut, leaving a lot better man for her. Such a shame, really.”

The blood was roaring in his ears now, he could barely comprehend, and yet everything she said was like a poison he couldn’t help but to hear and understand.

“You have been… killing all those people?” he forced out, staring back at her, feeling the anger rising in him. “For what? For talking to one person? Are you _insane_?!”

Sarah frowned a little and Kevin quickly looked at her like she was responsible for something huge, and there was an accusation in his eyes.

“You said-!”

“Shut up, Kevin,” she growled at him coldly and the boy grew quiet again. “He knows shit.”

“About the _dropouts_?” Eggsy hissed. “All those killed couples? Do you really think no one is onto ya?”

“Sarah!” Kevin leashed out again, and Eggsy could tell he was livid, scared shitless somebody could be onto their little game, and for a little moment he thought _serves him right_ , before more analytical mind overcame it, trying to keep the needed calm. His hands were bounded, but his legs were free, that was definitely a plus point. He knew he couldn’t do much until he was sure the base he was kept in wasn’t swarming with people – and even though it seemed unlikely, having this many deaths happening must have been bigger than just two students who apparently held a grudge against a person.

“Where’s Becky,” he asked when Sarah didn’t look like she wanted to deal with Kevin’s outburst right now, and it made the girl look at him with fed up expression. She seemed a lot colder now, a completely different person than he was used to in his class. Calculative and cold-blooded, almost eerily so, and Eggsy couldn’t believe nothing actually alarmed him before, no pointer, nothing. He was so distracted with the whole _oh god, why must have I fallen for somebody as unreachable as Harry Hart_ he completely abandoned his duty, his fucking job. And now he was here, tied and wounded, with two students feeling superior over him.

“Right,” she uttered coldly, making him squint back at her. His head hurt like hell now and it was only getting worse. “I almost forgot we have this little show for you waiting until now.”

It made him even tenser, the painful probability of what he could witness in upcoming moments varied immensely. Becky wounded, dead, working with them, laughing, crying, bleeding – everything was possible and he found himself absolutely unable to tell which would it be – he just knew he wouldn’t like it either way.

“Tell Greg to bring her here,” she pushed Kevin away and the boy snarled and left the room with a low mumbling.

“Have you lost your mind?” Eggsy hissed when the door closed behind the boy and left Eggsy alone with the girl. He tried to struggle against the bounds, but it was no use. She watched him like an executioner, her face a blank mask and Eggsy found himself raging because of it, all the anger accumulated inside of him threatened to get out. She was young and promising, yet she did this? Killed so many people and now even looked like he was bothering her, like he was an annoying fly and nothing else. “Why are you doing this?”

“Because she deserves it,” Sarah uttered. “Because she’s a slut and always will be, and all she is doing is making other people miserable. I want her gone, but she wouldn’t budge. So we had to do this, but she is still so fucking dumb to get the _damn clue_.”

“A damn clue?!” he barked at her, lunging up and the quick movement made his head spin uncomfortably, so he fell back, cringing.

“She’s not welcomed here!” she raised her voice as well. “So people had been disappearing – the people she fucking ruined, and do you think she caught up? No! She’s so fucking dumb!”

“So you’ve killed them?!” the blond growled and the girl took a deep breath before she opened her mouth to answer, but got cut off by the door opening with Greg pushing forward another person.

Eggsy wanted to kick himself for not being aware all of them were playing this role for him and he swallowed it all like an obedient puppy.

“Gary!” Becky’s voice rang in his ears and he could barely focus at her at that moment how his head hurt. She seemed a little beaten and shaken, her hair in complete disarray, and Eggsy noticed after another moment her mascara was smudged over her cheeks, probably because she cried.

“Are you alright?” he asked quickly, breathily, and she sobbed and nodded, like she was lying a little, but didn’t want to worry him. There were bruises on her left cheek and her clothes were dirty, so Eggsy assumed they weren’t treating her gently either.

“Well, as lovely as you two are,” Sarah glared at her and then at Eggsy like an embodiment of wrath. “This is going to end.”

“Why are you doing this?!” Becky wailed, her body movement jerky, and Greg seized her by her arms to still her. The grip looked on board of painful and she yelped and quieted down again.

“See,” Sarah glanced at Eggsy with disgust. “She’s so fucking stupid.”

Becky sobbed again, her knees apparently slowly giving out, since she started dropping down and only Greg held her upwards. Sarah was suddenly right at her, grabbing her hair in hand and pulling closer to her. Becky whined, but couldn’t really fight against it, and Eggsy almost jumped up in order to stop her.

“Look, you little-,”Sarah started, but another door bang interrupted her, and Kevin suddenly barged in, his eyes wide and scared.

“They say Dewitt is here!” the boy wheezed, like he had been running. Eggsy immediately perked up, his body tense and heart almost stopping with the beating in fear of Harry being captured.

“Fine,” Sarah dropped her hand and left Becky be, stepping one step back from her. “Bring him in.”

“You don’t get it,” Kevin continued, his expression terrified. “I think he’s been killing people on the way!”

“What?” she gaped at him, and Greg asked the same, only in disbelief. Eggsy could almost imagine Harry fighting his way here in cold blood and that idea scared him as hell. He knew what Harry had been capable of when he lost control, and if he was genuinely angry now, it might have had the same consequences. And bloodshed was the last thing they needed here, Eggsy could tell. Not that diplomacy would work on these people, but killing them without a blink of an eye seemed even crueller.  

“That’s what they say!” Kevin insisted. “That he’s approaching our station and no one seems to respond from where he had been anymore.”

“Get rid of her,” Greg flashed quickly at Sarah, shaking Becky like a rag doll. “Get rid of her for good, so we can stop all this already!”

Sarah managed to make one step before Eggsy’s patience ran out and adrenaline kicked him like a horse. His body moved like a flash, he fell over and his legs swished under Sarah like two knifes, making her lose her balance and fall down. Greg let go of Becky in shock and Eggsy managed to jump back on his feet in meantime, his back curving like a bow, and he lurched at the other boy with all the strength he had, sending him painfully strong against the wall. Kevin remained frozen on spot, his eyes wide like saucers and when Eggsy made a move towards him, he jerked and started running like a rabbit.

“Becky, undo my hands!” he shot out, shaking his tied hands behind his back like he was trying to get rid of it, feeling the bruises forming already, bloody and aching. She shakily did what she was told, her hands slow, but at least working, and he could hear her soft crying even despite the adrenaline rush that was roaring in his ears.

“It’s gonna be fine,” he assured her, ignoring the groans from the two on the ground. “We’ll get out of this, you’ll see.”

“Okay,” she responded weakly, finally easing up the knot enough for him to break free by force. He quickly turned, laying gently his hand on her shoulder, offering a smile. It must have looked pitiful, he thought, if his face was as bruised as it felt, but he tried his best to look supportive, because she definitely needed it.

“We need to find Harry first,” he told her carefully and she nodded again, making few wobbly steps before she was able to get more balance. Eggsy glanced back at the two bodies lying on the floor, but he didn’t have either time or mood to do anything about them, except locking them in this place. Few quick searches through Greg’s jacked did the trick and he found the key, and that was about enough of attention he was willing to give them for now.

“This is a nightmare,” he heard Becky whispering when they approached the door, her shivery form making him feel sorry for her immensely. “A nightmare. I need to _wake up.”_

“Becky,” he quickly caught her hand, squeezing it gently. “It’s fine. I’m here and I won’t allow anything happen to you, ye?”

“You’re not really a teacher, are you,” she mumbled, not really looking at him, but her hand squeezed back.

“What gave me away?” Eggsy joked in an attempt to make her calmer, or at least to focus at something else. “My zero math skills?”

She just shook her head and remained quiet, following him slowly through the dark room to the door. When Eggsy looked out, a huge hall greeted him with loud murmurs and lots of running, and all he could think of was: _these are not students_. They were in black and looked dangerously like a cartel of some sorts, like a squad of people who was operating with guns and machinery, and all Eggsy could do was to look around, find the first piece of pipe lying on the ground and hope for the best.

They didn’t seem like they paid them any mind, the frantic pace that flooded through the place was enough of worry for the group, and Eggsy wondered if they were so worked up because of Harry. He wouldn’t lie – he would be too if the man decided to go raging and shooting people all around without any mean to be stopped, but still, he was just one guy, right? Unless there were more people – more Kingsmen, because he told Merlin. In that case… yeah.

His mangled thoughts occasionally pierced with painful stabs of his head wound got halted when he heard Becky yell shortly, then turn quiet again and her grip grew even stronger it almost crushed his hand. He quickly looked her way, just to stare right into a barrel of a gun aiming right between his eyes.

At first one crazy thought made him believe it was Becky, but her grip was sure on his hand and he felt her pressed on his side, trying to hide. Not to mention when he finally took a bigger picture, there was undoubtedly a huge guy behind the gun, gruff and tough looking, with black, angry eyes and stubble worth an award.

“Going somewhere, pup?” the man asked in a thick accent and Eggsy was out of witty answers, or basically any response such question could get. “’Cuz I’m pretty sure you’re ours now.”

“Must have missed the memo,” his mind unhelpfully supplied and his hand shot upwards, knocking the gun out. He must have been working on adrenalin alone, since his mind blocked most of the pain out, he just acted. Becky let go of his hand, he noticed vaguely, and the big guy started fighting back. Eggsy kicked the gun away; it dragged over the floor somewhere in between the stomping feet, and gripped the tube he was holding tighter. The first hit the man wanted to land on him got perfectly blocked by the piece of metal it almost made Eggsy drop the tube for how strong it tingled in his palm. The guy groaned and stepped back, holding his hand with a hiss, and it was Eggsy’s cue to knock him out, to protect Becky and himself, like an instinct that didn’t allow him to fail. His opponent hadn’t been expecting such raw strength to make a move and Eggsy made him successfully stumble backwards, crashing into a table full of boxes. When he crashed there and rest of the object fell on him, his legs stopped moving and Eggsy felt the tension seeping away again. It lasted about 3 seconds before he saw another person attacking him, like they just noticed something was going on, and the circle of vultures grew tighter and more threatening.

Eggsy wasn’t entirely sure how he managed to avoid most of the hits, how only some of them fell to make him a little wobbly and recover fast, and he thought _hey, fuck it, I just have to survive!_ His heart was trying to jump out of his chest, blood roaring, he heard screams and groans, and he always saw Becky crouching by the wall by the corner of his eye that made him just a little bit more determined to make them all fall.

Another set of screams and shouts captured his attention, coming from the opposite side of the hall, and the moment of his carelessness cost him a strong hit to his jaw, knocking him backwards and making him land on his side. He tasted blood in his mouth yet again and probably even bit his tongue a little, and the attacker approached him with a knife in his hand. A little, sharp thing that shone in the artificial light ruling the place, and Eggsy felt drained all of sudden, like the contact with the floor sapped all the remaining energy out of him and he felt almost helpless under the onslaught, only blocking it with his raised arm, until he heard a swish and then the man dropped next to him, unmoving.

He stared at the still form for a while, dumbfounded, until he glanced back at the direction the attacker was standing at, and his breath hitched in his throat.

Surrounded by unmoving bodies and with a gun in hand stood Harry Hart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> I'm so terribly sorry for this delay, last week was crazy. Two seminars, too much work, and I was absolutely dead after, and this week another two seminars took place and I had to take care of the whole office, so, please forgive me QQ
> 
> This chapter is a little rough I guess, but! It should end soon, I promise :) Now how Harry is going to greet him, that's a question...


	22. Cowardice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “But then again, if he is going to give you piece of his mind about not waiting for more people to watch your back, you can shoot it back at him,” the quartermaster tapped Eggsy’s hand. “He did exactly the same thing. Not waiting for the backup, he just demolished half of the resistance like a terminator. Sometimes I wonder if he’s not a machine to be honest.”  
> “Well, is he?” Roxy asked in fake curiosity. “You’ve slept with him in one bed all this time, was he sleeping or recharging?”  
> “You’re such a tit,” Eggsy pushed her with a snort and she winked at him, took JB and waved goodbye.

Eggsy was pretty sure he was going down with a concussion. His vision was unhappily blurred and not very clear, and at first he seriously thought he was seeing things, and that Harry wasn’t there at all. But then the man moved, walked past the groaning bodies around them, and stopped at Eggsy still half lying on the ground.

He looked… fiery, somehow. Like he had been running nonstop and only anger fuelled him, and now he finally halted but that energy didn’t want to disappear. Eggsy found himself staring, intimidated and unsure, until Harry leaned down and offered him an open palm, his expression carefully blank.

Eggsy took the hand and the grip was strong and searing, pulling him up like he weighted nothing, and didn’t let go even when Eggsy was safely standing on his own legs. He felt weakened and little dazed, and the sudden overwhelming presence of Harry flooded into him with painful intensity, fear mingled with relief. Then Harry frowned and Eggsy heard a whimper escaping him.

“I’m not going to vent here,” Harry’s voice was a hoarse whisper and it made Eggsy chilled all over. “But we are going to talk later. I’m going to shout. And you’re going to listen. Are we clear?”

Eggsy didn’t say anything, he really couldn’t find a suitable retort to that, so he just nodded, completely paralyzed, and the grip finally eased off and he could step away a little. Harry’s eyes followed him, looking him all over like he was checking for injuries, and the longer he looked, the more his expression grew colder, until he was a perfect image of unhappiness. He glanced away from the boy, just to stop at Becky sitting at the wall, ultimately terrified by all that happened, and even more when somebody like Harry focused at her.

“Tell me what happened,” he uttered coldly, looking back at Eggsy, and the blond wiped blood from his brow, earning another unhappy scowl from the man, and nodded towards the locked door where he left Sarah and Greg.

“Three students so far,” he mumbled tiredly. “I’ve locked two of them in there. They were abducting people who had a relation with Becky.”

“You knew about it?” Harry asked next, but he wasn’t looking at Eggsy anymore, but at the blond woman, shaking at the wall like an expensive dog, even when she was trying to stand up. She looked like her legs wouldn’t support her properly.

“No,” she responded weakly. “I’ve never…”

“I told you not to get too acquainted with her, didn’t I,” Harry didn’t let her finish, staring back at Eggsy fiercely. “I’ve specifically asked you _not to_.”

“You said you’ll shout at me later,” Eggsy immediately responded and it made Harry hiss angrily but he stopped talking. For a moment he looked like he wanted to add something, but then he just turned away from Eggsy and looked through the bodies of the unconscious men around, apparently searching for something.

“Merlin sent agents here,” he said after a moment, straightening up again. “They will take care of this mess. Where are the students?”

The blond pointed at the door, shakily reaching for the key he snatched from Greg with the other hand, and Harry took it without pampering or gentleness. When he disappeared through the unlocked door, Eggsy felt a hand on his shoulder – a comforting touch he needed to calm down a little. His body was tired, but still tense and strained, and Harry’s fighter attitude definitely hadn’t helped.

“We need you to see the doctor,” Becky told him quietly. “That wound on your head looks really bad.”

“My head always looks bad,” he joked lamely, trying to supress the dull feeling that logged inside of his stomach like a lead. “This is just more colourful.”

“Your head is alright when it’s not bloody,” she finally offered a weak smile, even though it probably took lots of effort for her. “You think he’ll take care of you?”

“Harry?” he looked the way the older agent disappeared to and she hummed in agreement.

“He’ll definitely shout at me,” he guessed without an ounce of doubt. “Then he’ll probably get me to the hospital. Shout at me a little more. Tell me how disappointed he is, how I never listen, how many stupid, amateur mistakes I make… and then he will probably calm down. But definitely will keep that _I’m disappointed in you_ look so I feel bad.”

“That sounds terrible,” she whispered. “What if he hurts you?”

“He won’t hurt me,” Eggsy quickly denied it, furrowing his brows a little. Harry would _never_ hurt him. Or anyone from the Kingsman. Yet he was getting this _what if_ from people all the time, and he couldn’t understand why. Harry was ruthless to enemies, yes. But not to people he considered friends, colleagues. He wondered why he kept on giving that vibe to others.

“He killed all those people,” she opposed, her voice wavering. Eggsy had to admit it must have looked scary for her now, and he found himself eerily numb to it already. An enemy equalled good when dead. A simple equation. But it wasn’t how _normal_ people were thinking, and being surrounded by corpses must have felt absolutely terrifying for her.

“Sleep darts,” Harry’s voice suddenly entered the conversation again and Eggsy felt Becky jerk away from him like he spontaneously burst in flames. “They are only unconscious. We need evidence, and them dead wouldn’t help us at all.”

“Evidence?” she repeated in a small voice and Eggsy squeezed her hand in comfort. “Are you c-cops?”

“Well-,”

“Yes,” Harry replied before Eggsy could finish the thought and didn’t even move a brow under that blatant lie. He just holstered the gun, adjusted his cuffs like in a movie and looked back at Eggsy.

“The students claim they never knew about the killing,” he informed the boy sternly. “We will get them talking when other agents get here.”

“They organized the abducting,” Eggsy responded defensively. It felt like Harry doubted him and he didn’t like it. They took him here, they took Becky here, they weren’t innocent. Sarah was surprisingly cold-blooded and even though he saw it too late, it _was_ there. No one would tell him he was delusional.

Harry didn’t say anything, but Eggsy knew that look.

It pissed him off.

***

Eggsy was never this happy to see Roxy before. Like, he was seriously overjoyed and relieved and even more so when JB jumped on his lap and started licking his face. He even ignored Roxy’s criticizing look towards the patch on his head where the wound was, as well as his cut lip and unflattering bruise on his jaw. She couldn’t see the rest of his body, which was the only luck he had that kept him from a full-on lecture about safety.

But Roxy probably took it enough of a punishment that Eggsy was in a hospital, even though not really staying, since the concussion wasn’t _that_ bad and the rest of his body was just tired, but not beaten up as badly as it felt before.

It also protected him from Harry’s wrath. Eggsy wouldn’t admit it out loud, but the _talk_ Harry wanted to have with him made him giddy as hell, and the more he thought about it, about the possible topics the talk would contain, it made him angrier and more defiant, until he was ready to smack the guy the moment he saw him.

“Harry wants to talk to you,” Roxy said like she was reading his mind, and it made him grumble. “He was pretty livid they didn’t want to let him in or tell him what’s wrong with you. You should have seen him.”

“I’ve seen him enough,” Eggsy uttered. “And I’m fine.”

“Yeah, but he doesn’t know that,” she reminded him softly. “Want me to tell him it’s all good?”

“No,” Eggsy refused immediately. “He’ll come anyway, wants to give me piece of his mind. Not to mention he saw me before, he knows there is nothing wrong with me.“

“He definitely hadn’t been acting like that,” she assured him with a smirk – and he had an urge to wash it off her face. “Merlin called him a mother hen. He didn’t like it.”

Eggsy bit down a bad remark and just focused on petting JB. The pup was so happy to see him he could barely contain it for several minutes, until he finally settled in his lap and dozed off peacefully.

“Also, the blond woman you came in with,” Roxy continued, alerting him to pay attention again. “She’s fine too. Nothing serious, just few bruises, probably traumatized, but it’s good.”

“That’s great,” he smiled in relief, not just for knowing Becky was alright, but for change of a topic as well. “She had it tough there. Like, seriously, it was insane. Just because one person didn’t like her, all the shite crashed down on her.”

“Yeah, I read the report Harry handed over,” Roxy nodded thoughtfully. “The students claimed they were only setting up people to get kidnapped to send a message to the teacher, that she was responsible for their dropping out of the university. Since she apparently never took a hint, that’s how the girl said it, they had to continue.”

“But those people died,” Eggsy pointed out grudgingly. “They _are_ guilty, right?”

“Yes,” another voice suddenly sliced the air and Eggsy felt his heart stop for a moment before he realized it wasn’t Harry, but Merlin who stood in between the doors, watching them both with a smirk. “They worked with other people. It was an organized group, although I’m not sure how they came to be cooperating with students. Might have sensed an opportunity somehow, somewhere, so they joined forces.”

“Joined forces?” Eggsy repeated, eying Merlin suspiciously, and the quartermaster closed the door to the room behind him and approached the bed.

“There was a contract for the students to provide people. The group abducted them, and, as the students said it, transported them somewhere else, keeping them there for some time before releasing them again with a warning never to return to the same university.”

“That’s lame,” Eggsy mumbled. “They are seriously this stupid to believe such excuse? Why anyone would do that even? Without profit.”

“That’s a brilliant question,” Merlin nodded in agreement. “The girl said _their_ payment to the group was the fact they could use their bank accounts.”

“What?”

“Dirty money,” Roxy explained. “They used it for money circulation from illegal transactions.”

Eggsy frowned and scratched JB behind his ear, thinking about it.

“So that’s it? They thought those people were giving the couples just a little scare?” he watched Merlin doubtfully and the Scottish man shrugged.

“The excuse is weak and stupid,” he agreed with Eggsy. “But it’s what they are sticking to. Refusing any claims of deaths. But we have leads to the group of those the students were working with, it’s already in motion.”

“What about Becky?” Eggsy asked right after and Merlin smiled.

“Miss Clarke is definitely not going to return to the school, but she is not getting any official protection either. We are keeping an eye on her, but as far as I know she’s free to go.”

“Good,” Eggsy breathed out. “I guess.”

He didn’t want her to suffer because of some stupid brats. She had enough of trouble when it was all in motion.

“Good thought taking the glasses and watches with you,” Merlin pointed out after a moment. “Out of all the stupid things you did, this was finally logical. The feed we got from it was short, but we got your location at least, so Harry could find you.”

Eggsy didn’t bother looking up. He knew it was reckless to go there alone. He was stupid, he was aware, but blaming it only for him being impatient definitely couldn’t compete with the fact he was distracted as hell from playing the proper spy. He just stopped thinking rationally, all that mingled in was Harry, his own self-loathing and then the shock Becky could actually be the bad guy Harry was claiming her to be. He wanted to show him, probably. Or maybe he wanted to show himself. The point was – he messed up, he let his judgment to be clouded, he couldn’t separate professional life from personal, and it almost cost him life.

He understood Harry was mad, he got that Merlin was chiding him for it as well. He did. But he learned. He got some time to think and he came to conclusion the life was treating him as he treated life itself, so there was the clue – stop expecting better, just go with the flow.

So he stopped expecting JB to learn sit and fetch. He stopped expecting Merlin to start drinking coffee. He stopped expecting Roxy to cease being so competitive.

And he definitely stopped expecting Harry Hart to fall in love with him.

What he expected though was the upcoming shit storm ready to hit him from the guy. He didn’t really think he would shout, but the disappointed tone was enough of punishment. Especially for a guy who liked him the way Harry did – fondly, friendly, fatherly maybe. It was like disappointing the only authority that mattered, and Eggsy already tasted that bitter fruit before. Having that conversation again, this time fully as it seemed, was dragging him down almost painfully. Not with having head hung down in shame, but listening while trying not to talk back. Because hell, he wanted to talk back so much, he wanted to be angry at him, he wanted to yell at him for fucking him up, but it would be unfair and stupid, and, in the end, expectant for a better result than he was going to get.

“You can expect a lecture,” Merlin interrupted his thoughts calmly. “But you already know that.”

“He told me,” the blond mumbled. “No need to remind me.”

“Good,” Merlin nodded. “Because handling him while he was out of his mind where you were and what could happen to you is not my department.”

“Right.”

“But then again, if he is going to give you piece of his mind about not waiting for more people to watch your back, you can shoot it back at him,” the quartermaster tapped Eggsy’s hand. “He did exactly the same thing. Not waiting for the backup, he just demolished half of the resistance like a terminator. Sometimes I wonder if he’s not a machine to be honest.”

“Well, is he?” Roxy asked in fake curiosity. “You’ve slept with him in one bed all this time, was he sleeping or recharging?”

“You’re such a tit,” Eggsy pushed her with a snort and she winked at him, took JB and waved goodbye. When she was out of the door, Eggsy glanced back at Merlin with a little frown.

“Was he really that angry?” he asked quietly, earning a huff from the Scottish man like he just asked something terribly stupid. And well, he probably did, since Harry was definitely angry the last time Eggsy saw him – and even the moment they got to the hospital and doors closed behind him, cutting off the sight of the older agent like a guillotine. The last thing he saw on his face was an apparent discomfort.

“No,” Merlin uttered, surprising him. “He was _desperate_. He wanted you safe. And out of that fear… he is angry _now_. Because you scared him to death.”

“That makes us equal,” Eggsy opposed, and it was childish, and probably little cruel to say this, but there was still that nagging hurt inside of him that bubbled up any time he tried to shut it out and move on.

“Yes, I suppose,” the quartermaster shrugged, apparently too tired to deal with Eggsy’s mood right now, and shifted towards the exit. “I’ll see you at the HQ, Eggsy. You should get released by today, as the doctor said.”

“I thought they would tell that only to family members,” Eggsy pointed out, suspicious and Merlin gave him a sly smile.

It told him all he needed to know.

***

“Aren’t you supposed to be leaving?”

Eggsy almost dropped the glass with water he was drinking from, and spitted half of the contents of his mouth out. It was close to the evening, the time definitely moved forward, and yet he was still in the hospital, sitting on the bed and contemplating if he should leave – and if, where to first. There was strangely tense obligation to go to the HQ, but also cowardly need to avoid Harry as long as possible, probably in hope Harry would forget about the shouting, or just deal with it somehow without the blond.

But Harry wasn’t patient. As much as he tried to let people believe the opposite, Eggsy knew the older agent’s patience was very thin and fragile. That was also why his sudden presence in Eggsy’s hospital room shouldn’t have been as big surprise as it was.

But there he was, standing in between the door, watching Eggsy from there like a predator on hunt. And Eggsy felt like a prey for sure, small and harmless one, like a mouse or a little annoying bug something bigger wanted to eat.

Harry’s face wasn’t angry, but there was tenseness in corners of his mouth, and sharpness in his eyes, and Eggsy felt himself shrinking back at first, like a child that was going to be scolded after breaking mother’s favourite vase.

“Well?” Harry tilted his head to the side and Eggsy realized he was asked a question, even though the answer was obvious.

“I was,” the blond piped. “Leaving, I mean.”

“Leaving usually entails moving _out_ of a place, not sitting motionless,” Harry countered coldly and Eggsy had to take deep breath to keep calm. Harry was in a bad mood. He came for a fight. He didn’t want to make things right or ask how the boy was. He just needed some outlet, and since Eggsy _was_ to blame, he thought he found it.

But as much as Eggsy admitted his actions were foolish, Harry had no right to treat him like a kid – and he had been wondering of how this shite would come down the whole day. It made him bold.

“An astounding observation, Mister Hart,” he shot back, finally standing up from the bed, feeling his body heavy and little aching, but mobile, and that was the main thing. No limping, no shuffling, he could leave proud and with head held high. “I’m leaving _now_. Satisfied?”

“Quite,” Harry retorted simply. “The car is waiting outside.”

“The car?” Eggsy stopped mid step, looking at the man questioningly. Did Merlin sent a car or…?

“We are going to _my_ house,” Harry informed him sternly.

“We are not going to your house,” Eggsy immediately opposed, his jaw dropping from that blatant dominance the man showed, and Harry had the nerve to look smug, the bastard.

“End of discussion,” he even said, like there was no way Eggsy would go against his word, and it was crazy, because Eggsy really had an urge to shut up and follow him for one, stupid moment.

“Stop acting like my father,” the boy pointed at him threateningly, but Harry’s posture didn’t change. “I’m not going with you anywhere. I want to go home.”

“If I was acting like your father,” Harry gave him a critical eye. “This whole situation would go very differently. As well as my intentions. Now get your things and meet me outside.”

With that the man turned around and prepared to leave, showing Eggsy the broad back that made the boy see a perfect target on, just to throw something at him. Maybe a shoe would suffice. What a fucking nerve that man had!

“You pompous arse, don’t _I_ have a say in this?!” he barked at him in annoyance and Harry stopped and glanced back, looking the boy in the eye. It was resolute and final and Eggsy knew it.

“Not anymore.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> I tend to making things longer than they should be, lololol. Anyway. The shit is going down in the next chapter, hartwin in full force, hopefully. Not sure if it's about killing or making out, so we will see how it ends. Harry is such an overlord, lol.
> 
> Thank you all for reading and commenting, you're making me very happy and I smile like an idiot with each and every comment <3
> 
> Edit: Re-did grammar mistakes a bit thanks to an anon from Tumblr. Sorry for my shitty English QQ


	23. The Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m not playing with you,” Harry refused that accusation calmly. “I’m just trying to make you understand-,”  
> “I don’t want to understand!” the boy interrupted him, hands balled into fists, and Harry was lucky he stepped away a little, or else he would have some already. “You immense prick, this is serious for me! So either tell me up straight you don’t want me or I’m going to unleash JB on you, and trust me, you don’t fucking want that!”

Eggsy’s mom was always telling him, when he was a kid, to stop pouting when there was something he didn’t like, didn’t get or must do.  He just sat there, pouting like a balloon, thinking how unfair life was and how mean his mom was. He probably thought he would accomplish something more than looking silly and acting childish.

Bad thing was – he grew up, but the pout was still there. Especially now, when he was sitting in Harry’s car, looking stubbornly out of the side window, arms crossed on his chest, trying very hard to ignore the man on his side, driving them quietly through the streets towards his house.

Eggsy liked his house. He liked the place; the fact Harry lived there, he liked how warm it seemed when he entered and always looked forward to spending time there, with the man. But now it felt like he was going for an execution – his own on top of that – and Harry was his executioner.

They weren’t talking. Harry didn’t seem like he minded, his eyes focused on the road in front of him, and Eggsy thought if he opened his mouth, only profanities would flow out, so he remained quiet as well.

And, well, pouting.

The time already reached half past nine, the sky was darker and slowly reaching the night point with stars blinking in the distance and moon trying to overpower them in its sharply cut shape. Eggsy wondered what Harry actually thought he would accomplish by dragging him to his own house, rather than letting him go home sulk. Harry could shout at him in the HQ, it would definitely give him more satisfaction than at his house where nobody else could hear him and agree with him.

It was… suspicious.

“Why exactly are we going to your place?” Eggsy asked suddenly, surprising even himself. He didn’t mean to start a conversation, yet it flew out of him, making Harry glance at him shortly.

“To talk,” the older man answered calmly.

“About?”

“Do you need me to spell it out for you?” a hint of annoyance rang in Harry’s voice and Eggsy grumbled and slouched lower to his seat. “I’m sure you know what I have in mind.”

“Promise of an undying love?” the boy uttered icily, immediately chiding himself in his head for his own idiocy, and when Harry didn’t say anything, he just snorted and looked out of the window again.

“I don’t know why you are making such drama out of it,” he said after another moment, making Harry take a sharp breath and the car hiccupped a little. Harry changed gears in a second, composing himself again, and Eggsy knew he just hit a sore spot.

“Merlin told me I’m an idiot and Roxy chided me as well, can’t you just do the same?” he felt bold enough to look at the agent again, immediately noticing the thin line of his lips formed from him trying to hold back. “Or are you trying to show me some exemplary punishment? Because all in all, I just did my job. I got an intel, I decided to go after it. You weren’t home and I didn’t have time.”

The word _home_ stung a little, Eggsy noticed too late, and it made him cringe and stop talking for a moment.

A sudden sharp turn brought them right to the street where Harry’s house stood in and Eggsy got the memo – Harry wasn’t going to talk until they were _inside_ of the place, surrounded by walls and privacy. The car probably didn’t give him enough space to gesticulate wildly or something, Eggsy thought bitterly, so he indulged him and bit his tongue to stop from other words spilling out, and followed Harry out of the car right when they stopped in front of the house.

Harry was tense and definitely ready to yell and Eggsy considered running away for a moment, if it didn’t make him look like a complete idiot. But he held on and entered the building after his host, closing the door behind him. He took off his shoes and jacket and walked to the kitchen where he saw Harry disappear to, just to find him standing at the counter, looking at the kettle like it could give him an important answer.

Eggsy fidgeted a little on a spot and when Harry didn’t look at him, or did anything else, he slowly approached a chair and sat down.

There was a distinctive gap between them and for a while Eggsy felt like he was thousands of miles away from his colleague, unreachable and distant, and didn’t know how to close it. He watched the man quietly, wondering how the hell their nicely working relationship of mutual respect ended up here, in a sore, unpleasant spot, and drew a conclusion he simply fucked it up at some point, like he did everything else.

First the crush he had, like a little school girl not able to contain herself, and then the refusal to properly cooperate with his co-worker. Not giving him vital info, going against his wish and even blaming him for not having the same stupid feelings he had that would make him as irrational as he was.

And Harry just got fed up, he shouldn’t have blamed him for that, and antagonizing him further was only going to make matters worse. He knew that – yet all he wanted to say included poking the snake with a stick.

“So,” he started. “Shout.”

“You expect me to reproach you, yes?” Harry said, not even turning around, and Eggsy steeled himself for a heavy impact of words with _then you’re right, mwuahahaha!_

“That’s what you said,” he answered back when Harry seemingly waited for him to react, and saw how Harry’s shoulders dropped slowly, almost tiredly. “So get it over with.”

“Might as well,” Harry retorted and finally turned around, seizing the boy in a blank stare. “What made you go there alone?”

“You weren’t home,” Eggsy repeated the phrase, using _home_ again like it was normal, realizing it too late once more. “I got an intel. I needed to go.”

“What intel exactly?” Harry asked quietly and Eggsy found himself unable to tell if he was just building the anger fit or he was genuinely curious.

“That Becky was sleeping with students,” the blond decided not to act too cocky and just keep the calm as well. “A girl died because of her. And the ones she slept with dropped out of school later.”

“And then you decided the best course of action was to go to the lair of a possible murderer, _unarmed_ ,” Harry’s voice grew sharp. “Without telling anyone _where_ you were going, not even assuring a _backup_ -,”

“You’re one to talk about backups,” Eggsy immediately shot back, remembering Merlin’s advice clearly. “Running there after me like a fucking terminator-,”

“And what was I supposed to do?!” Harry barked at him, loudly now, and his body made a step towards the boy on the chair, almost threateningly so. Eggsy felt the adrenaline kicking him, pushing him up from the seat, adopting a defensive position just in case and it halted Harry’s approach immediately.

“Well, maybe you can start with stopping being so fucking hypocritical!” he pointed at him with a hiss. “Because I _know_ I’ve fucked up, but if you want to give me shite for it while doing the exact same mistake, then we are done talking!”

It made Harry visibly recoil and Eggsy considered it a small victory. People were giving him shite for all his life, he learned how to dodge it or to counter it – and even though using it against Harry wasn’t his plan, old habits were dying hard.

“Fine,” Harry uttered and it was so cold it was Eggsy’s turn to lose all the steam, and it made him a little slow and sluggish, especially when Harry suddenly started walking towards him. All he could do was to make one stupid step back, a crushing reality of him getting hit by the only person he never thought would do it almost deafened him, until Harry seized both sides of his face and instead of an attack he kissed him.

The initial shock Eggsy fell into morphed fairly fast into anger. Out of the anger he started kissing back aggressively, because _what_! This was not fair, this was not how it was supposed to go! Harry couldn’t just fuck with his head like that – if he was making some sort of twisted point, Eggsy was ought to outsmart him in this. He had just one nerves, he already pined after him like an idiot and made himself miserable – he didn’t need this shite, false hope or a pity fuck, or whatever Harry was just pulling on him.

So he fought back. He fought with his whole body, so when Harry pushed – he pushed back. He wasn’t even asking anymore, he didn’t have strength to give him any possibly confused questions. If Harry wanted to play it this way, he was ready to counter him.

His own hands took hold of Harry’s shirt and it was more like wrestling than anything else. He felt like Harry’s fingers traced his own face, holding it in place, and his lips were warm, but demanding, punishing almost.  There was no finesse, nothing that made Eggsy lose his breath like last time. It wasn’t loving, neither it was curious or searching – it was more like a continuation of their shout-fest, a fight, like Harry didn’t know how else he could convey his anger, so he chose this.

“Are you out of your-,” another kiss, followed by bite to Eggsy’s lower lip, “fucking mind?!”

A push and Eggsy found himself sitting on a kitchen table; legs far apart with Harry nestled between them, and the grip on his jaw grew stronger and surer, then slowly moved towards his neck. The first reaction Eggsy had included a full body jerk and a firm grip on both of Harry’s hands, dragging it down with a growl.

“Don’t do that,” he hissed at the man and Harry stopped, his eyes searching, until his hands gave out the pressure and Eggsy let go. He saw him hesitate slightly, but then the touch reappeared, light and barely felt, gently tracing the bare skin there.

“You know I’d never hurt you,” a low rumble sounded and Eggsy’s breath hitched unpleasantly. He wanted to throw it in his face he already did. That Eggsy was already hurting, craving all of this, but it would sound petty and childish and he knew it.

“No, you’d just shout at me,” he uttered after, seizing the offending hand again, but lightly now, like a warning for Harry not to push it. The older man apparently understood and Eggsy felt his warmth seeping into him like a deadly poison, begging him to give in.

What was this situation? How did they even manage to get from fighting to kissing? Even though Eggsy felt like it was just a different continuation of the fight before, it still entailed something Harry shouldn’t have been keen on doing outside of the mission, right?

 “Because I can’t deal with you differently,” Harry mumbled after a moment, his shoulders sagging a little. “I don’t know how I should convey the fact I can’t stand this.”

”This?” Eggsy stared at him dubiously. “Like kissing me senseless? Big deal.”

“That’s not-,”

“Is there a secret feed?” the blond looked around, even though he knew it was not the point. He didn’t know why he was trying to get Harry to deny this whole scene again, but his consciousness demanded it like a defence mechanism. “Because the last time I tried to get you to tell me somethin’, you brushed me off.”

The touch disappeared and Harry took a step back – Eggsy could literally feel the wall building up between them again, cocooning the man within it, unable to reach, closing off to the blond again. He thought it was better that way, he didn’t have time, nor nerves, to play this weird game.

“Do you know how old am I, Eggsy?” an unexpected question came and Eggsy blinked, noting how tired suddenly Harry looked. There was a bruise on his right cheek, his knuckles were even worse, and suddenly he was only a human standing there as if the illusion fell.

An age question, Eggsy realized. It was _always_ the age question. _So young_ , Harry was always saying. _You’re so young._

“About five hundred years old, why?” he shot back, agitated he was going to be brushed off with such lame excuse again, and Harry barked out a laugh and shook his head.

“You don’t understand,” he said, sounding strangely fond, but Eggsy wasn’t buying it anymore. There was a huge _but_ , something along the lines _this wouldn’t work out_ and he wanted to shout at him _fine, you son of a bitch, let me go then!_ But something kept him quiet and fuming, waiting for a verdict, and he hated himself for that.

“Do you realize I’ve known your father?” Harry tilted his head to the side, and Eggsy frowned.

“So fucking what?”

“You were about three or four when I saw you for the first time,” Harry ignored Eggsy’s growl, his eyes softening. “A little kid. I was already a Kingsman.”

“If you’re trying to tell me you’re an old fart and Imma a twink and this has no future, then you can shut the fuck up and let me go home. I have no intention listening to this bullshit over and over again,” Eggsy barked, gritting his teeth angrily, and Harry’s smirk made him even madder – was he playing with him? Was this fun to him? Fucking bastard!

“Is this a game to you?!” he raised his voice in a last, desperate attempt to keep his dignity. “Do you think it’s fun to play with me like that? Because I fucking _hate it_!”

“I’m not playing with you,” Harry refused that accusation calmly. “I’m just trying to make you understand-,”

“I _don’t want to_ understand!” the boy interrupted him, hands balled into fists, and Harry was lucky he stepped away a little, or else he would have some already. “You immense prick, this is serious for me! So either tell me up straight you don’t want me or I’m going to unleash JB on you, and trust me, you don’t fucking want that!”

“I- JB?” Harry blinked and Eggsy couldn’t even phantom how that stupid remark came out of his mouth. “The last time I saw that dog he slobbered all over my face.”

“He was in a good mood,” Eggsy pointed at him threateningly. “He’s a hell hound otherwise; you just haven’t seen him hungry.”

“Point taken,” the older agent nodded thoughtfully. “Sounds like a serious business.”

“Yeah, so,” Eggsy looked away, trying very hard not to think of his dog anymore, since he was only making an idiot out of himself. Why was he trying to make the conversation lighter? He had all the rights to be angry. “Stop this charade and let me go home.”

“I haven’t brought you here just because I’ve wanted to quarrel,” Harry opposed and suddenly he was close again and his hands rested on Eggsy’s thighs, burning him through his jeans. “I wanted to, yes. Because you still don’t understand that if you died, I’d lose my mind.”

“And yet you didn’t have the courtesy to be considerate either,” Eggsy immediately shot back. “Because you’ve let me watch you getting _killed-_ ,”

“That wasn’t intentional,” Harry interrupted him sternly. “And you know it.”

“Like me dying is ever planned, for fuck’s sake.”

“Can you stop it?” Harry snapped and Eggsy shut up, too surprised to talk back. The patience must have run out, since Harry looked seriously ruffled. “I’m trying to explain it to you.”

“Fine,” the boy grumbled. “Explain. And stop touching me. It’s distracting.”

Harry didn’t stop, his hands actually dragged higher, resting on Eggsy’s hips, and Eggsy decided not to say anything to give him the satisfaction.

“I want you,” Harry said plainly and Eggsy gaped. Surely he heard wrong…? “And it’s difficult, because even though you hate being reminded of it, the age difference-,”

“For fuck’s sake.”

“-is significant, stop interrupting me,” Harry frowned and squeezed his hips a little harder as a reprimand. Eggsy yelped, but shut up.

“And you know I’ve always been fond of you,” the older agent continued once he was sure Eggsy would keep his mouth closed. “Hell, everyone probably knew. If it was _only_ at me, I’d have…”

“You would have?” the blond repeated, breathlessly, suddenly too aware they were touching so much and so close, and they kissed before without the cameras or curious eyes, and Harry was basically telling him he always liked him and there was something absolutely huge swelling inside of Eggsy’s chest, threatening to explode.

“Made a move,” Harry finished the thought easily. “Life is too short for dancing around the person you love without at least trying.”

“Love, huh,” the blond teased him with a smirk, even though he was short with breath and his heart was beating too fast. His mind was like a mingled nest of stupid, he couldn’t come up with witty remark (or a sane one) even if the world was ending again.

The grip eased off a little again, but didn’t disappear, Harry only started to rub Eggsy’s sides gently, like he was soothing him. Well, he probably needed it…

“So why didn’t you?” he managed to croak out, trying very hard not to focus solely on the touching. “Make a m-move I mean.”

“Because you looked like you didn’t want to,” Harry shrugged. “I knew you enjoyed your time with me, but… it wasn’t the same. I know I’m a little rusty in those things, but I knew this wasn’t the right thing until the mission. You’ve changed there. A lot.”

“I have?” Eggsy chirped and Harry closed the remaining gap between the edge of the table and him and it was hot, so _hot_. The hands slowly moved up, seizing Eggsy’s face again, delicately rubbing his cheeks.

“Wait, are you trying to tell me that you, uptight Harry Hart, brought me here to fuck?” it dawned on the boy suddenly – because that was what Harry told him, right?

“Must you always talk?” Harry rolled his eyes, the tenderness gone, and Eggsy snickered and circled Harry’s waist with his legs, pushing himself closer.

“I thought you knew me,” he said cheekily. “I always talk.”

“Sometimes regrettably,” the older man sighed and when Eggsy opened his mouth again to say something more stupid, he stopped him with another kiss. It was probably the wisest decision he could ever do, and when Eggsy felt he was being pushed backwards against the desk, a quick thought flashed through his mind like a spear.

“Wait,” he pulled away and Harry groaned. “Are we going to do it on the kitchen table?”

“For fuck’s sake, Eggsy, please shut up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betad by the amazing Bespokes-maketh-man! <3 Thank you so much for this!
> 
> Aaaaaand sorry for this chapter, lol. I meant to make them... get it on, so to speak, but they were too chatty, so. The next chapter should be a lil M I suppose, unless they decide otherwise :D  
> I hope it's not too gritty or confusing QQ
> 
> Thank you all for reading and commenting, you're amazing! <3


	24. Not Faking It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’ve never seen your bedroom,” he purred to Harry’s ear mischievously and was bold enough to bite the man’s ear a little and then soothe it with a lick.  
> “Keep it up and you won’t see it ever,” Harry growled and it made Eggsy grin like a maniac and do it again like a petulant child that couldn’t take no as an answer.

Eggsy was aware of the fact Harry was a good kisser. Hell, he was a great kisser, thorough and attentive, perfectly angling them to have the kiss deeper, more lascivious. Making Eggsy moan and push into him with his whole body, having his legs pulling Harry closer while his hands roamed the broad back. His mind was still catching up, not really believing, questioning the whole scene. Was it real? Seriously real? Was Harry really doing this to him because he wanted to? Because it was mutual?

Well, if not, he was going to be pretty pissed at his consciousness, that for sure.

“Stop overthinking this,” Harry whispered to his lips, softly pecking the corners of Eggsy’s mouth, and the blond shuddered under him. There was something digging to his back on the table, not a super comfortable position for making out, but he refused to let it keep him from this any longer.

“’m not,” he mumbled, trying to steal another kiss, but Harry shifted a little, making Eggsy gulp down loudly when his hand suddenly touched Eggsy on the waist, slowly dragging the shirt up to touch the bare skin there. It sent a pleasurable jolt right through him, the warmth seeping into him gradually, and then the hand moved, pulling the shirt higher while mapping Eggsy’s side, all the way to his chest where it stopped. Eggsy thought he was going to burn down for sure, the touch was electric and searing, and his body was already squirming in anticipation – and wow, really, he never had been so fucking impatient for somebody to touch him like that. Just a little more and he was afraid he was going to lose it with his pants still on, especially when Harry’s hand started to move down again, this time with using his nails in a light scrape, and Eggsy heard himself whine pathetically and bucked up.

“Not ticklish?” Harry chuckled when he apparently realized all he was going to get for this included Eggsy panting and huddling closer and not squirming in laughter.

“You kiddin’?” the boy breathed out, his hand clutching Harry’s arm like a vice to keep him close. “Even if I were, I’d hold it for this.”

Harry watched him for a moment, probably wondering how it was possible for Eggsy to be really over twenty and not fifteen for being so pathetically easy. He suddenly gripped him with both hands on his waist and pulled him up back to the sitting position.

“Tell me,” the man asked quietly, brushing his lips over Eggsy’s and it made the blond whimper and chase after him, just to be denied with a slight smirk. “Eggsy, pay attention.”

“Do I look like I don’t?” Eggsy grumbled, dragging Harry lower so he could lock his legs around Harry’s thighs and push against him – and scored. Harry hissed and tensed a little, like he was holding back by the power of his sheer will, and Eggsy smiled smugly because he could and because it made Harry squeeze his sides tighter.

“You have my _full attention_ , Harry. You always do,” he assured him in the most seductive tone he could manage, not even feeling as stupid for it as he thought he would. It actually flowed easily, because hell, he really _wanted_ this man to focus only at him, and if he was ought to do it this way – no problem.

He wasn’t as surprised when Harry let out a low growl and seized his head in his palms, kissing him wildly like he lost it for a moment, and Eggsy moaned into it. There was always something into Harry’s kisses – Eggsy already knew a passionate one, a hungry one, a punishing one, and this one felt like he lost his mind and needed Eggsy to lose his as well, and it wasn’t that hard, it really wasn’t. And it was tragically accurate when somebody kept on throwing the age into the play, because goddammit, Harry was aged like a fine wine with apparently _tons_ of experience and it _counted_. Eggsy wasn’t a newbie – hell, he seriously had been adventurous during his days – but he never experienced something like this, being so thoroughly _devoured_ and _wanted_. The swipe of Harry’s tongue on his lower lip, the occasional bite, the way he was cradling his face – everything was in play and everything made Eggsy react with more moaning and edging near, and _wanting, needing, wishing_ for having Harry closer, much closer, preferably _inside_ -

Harry let go with a shuddering breath as if he read his mind, and Eggsy had to admit it probably wasn’t that hard to do so – his hips were basically unstoppable now, wanting to climb Harry like a tree and even in a wildest fantasy it couldn’t have been considered a platonic fondness.

And as much as kissing was perfect (amazing, gorgeous, exciting), it _wasn’t enough._ Not after all this daydreaming Eggsy had before, now seriously almost painfully curious if he was right, if Harry was really a beast in bed, a dominant alpha male that needed his partner to allow him _everything_ , because Eggsy was so very close to give it to him.

“So… you were saying?” he teased him breathlessly when Harry looked at him again, frowning a little like he hadn’t planned it, and Eggsy was proud to make him this way. Harry was still holding his face in his hands, gently rubbing his jaw, and Eggsy leaned into the touch like an affectionate cat. It made him feel loved and cared for, and as sad as it was to admit, he rarely felt something like that before

“Are you sure?” Harry asked quietly, his eyes intense and piercing, and Eggsy felt scanned through and through, all the way to his bones, to his inner core. “Because I’m not letting go when I get attached. I don’t want to drag you with me if this is not-,”

“It is,” Eggsy stopped him quickly. “It so is, so please.”

Harry gulped down loudly, like he realized he didn’t need to hold back anymore, and Eggsy had a happy idea that all hell was going to break loose – and it was fabulous. The touch on his face lingered for a moment, as if Harry was making sure, and then his hands dropped to Eggsy’s shoulders, slowly descending along his arms, until he settled back on the boy’s waist.

“No regrets,” his voice sounded like a warning and Eggsy nodded with vehemence and grabbed Harry by his shoulders, stronger than normally to convey his consent thoroughly, since Harry really looked like he needed to be sure of it.

“No fucking regrets,” he chirped, making Harry smirk a little and the world moved with vengeance while Eggsy found himself being carried from the kitchen by Mr. Superman Harry Hart, and all he could do was to lock his legs around his waist and pull himself closer by Harry’s shoulders.

“I’ve never seen your bedroom,” he purred to Harry’s ear mischievously and was bold enough to bite the man’s ear a little and then soothe it with a lick.

“Keep it up and you won’t see it ever,” Harry growled and it made Eggsy grin like a maniac and do it again like a petulant child that couldn’t take _no_ as an answer. It rewarded him with a heavy impact against a hallway wall that almost knocked the air out of his lungs, and then Harry was on him, sucking on his neck like a vampire, biting and licking, and Eggsy found himself not minding it a single bit. There were grabby hands on his butt urging him snug close against Harry’s front and Eggsy gasped desperately against the pressure there, the sure proof of Harry being fucking turned on by this as Eggsy were.

“I’m shite at following orders, you know that,” he laughed under the onslaught of Harry’s lips that moved from his pulse point towards a collar bone, and he was pretty sure it was all going to leave viciously red marks he was going to wear proudly.

“Pretty much,” Harry grumbled and pressed the boy even stronger against the wall, apparently to switch for better support, since one of his hands started to push Eggsy’s shirt up in an attempt to lose it completely. Eggsy had to bite down his own lip to hold the groan inside – Harry was trying to get him fucking naked, this would probably knock him out a month ago, even in a theory. But hell, now they were in a middle of making out and he was so ready to get naked with him he immediately helped, pulling the shirt over his head in one go and then leaving it on Harry where he wanted to put that piece of garment. He found himself occupied with demanding lips right after and forgot about the placement immediately, much to his own excitement. His hands started pawing on Harry’s shirt as well, pulling at it, ignoring the buttons that held it together, and the more he pulled, the more the kiss turned aggressive, until he had to stop and shamelessly rode against the man in an attempt to get better friction, since the kiss was burning him alive inside.

“C’mon, c’mon,” he chanted impatiently when Harry let him gulp down some air again and got back to his bare skin, now fully free for touching, and immediately seized the opportunity and mapped Eggsy’s torso like a blind man trying to memorize every curve. “Harry, c’mon, get it _off_!”

There was another growl, but then Harry complied and the shirt disappeared shortly after, ending up pooled around Harry’s feet. A bare skin against skin contact made Eggsy whimper and lurch forward to have _a taste_ , licking at the skin and tasting salt and _Harry_ and it made him grind against him harder, almost frantically so.

There were hard, unyielding muscles under his palms when he was roaming Harry’s back, a firmness that was a massive turn-on, and suddenly Eggsy realized he had never seen Harry naked, much to his own dismay, even though Harry already saw him. Trying to sneak a peek while your partner was doing everything for you to come undone was difficult though, and Eggsy had to be satisfied with _later_ rather than _right now_ , for the sake of the delicious pleasure Harry was giving him.

Another sudden movement lifted Eggsy from the wall’s support and they were moving again, probably now to the right destination Harry set for them, and Eggsy recognized stairs and the ascending in between biting he was landing on crook of Harry’s neck, marking him possessively as his. Then the grip disappeared and he landed on the soft mattress and red sheets with Harry standing above him and watching him hungrily.

His stare was burning and intense, like he was trying to eat Eggsy up just by looking, skimming from place to place, contour from contour, and Eggsy wasn’t ashamed to admit it was doing things to him, especially when he could _see_ now, and drink up the half-naked picture of his fucking _lover_ into his mind.

“Like what you see?” he grinned at the man cheekily and Harry’s eyes narrowed a bit, before he put a knee on the bed next to Eggsy’s leg and then crawled above him.

“You know very well I do,” he informed the boy hoarsely and wow, _fucking wow_ , this was the hottest thing he ever saw him doing, all messed up and his voice rumbly and low, and all for Eggsy to touch and explore – he could die happy now and not regret it.

“I still like hearing it,” he shot back, even though a bit short of breath now, and Harry towered above him with lust in his eyes, so dark it almost made him forget how to breathe.

“I’m trying to keep a bit of dignity here,” Harry mumbled, but his body slowly lowered down onto Eggsy. “But you’re making it damn hard.”

“Oh I certainly hope I’m making it _hard_ ,” Eggsy snorted and earned an eye roll and a bite to his jaw, and then another on the other side. “But to be fair, you’re 100% successful as well. Thought you might like to know.”

“Charmed,” Harry whispered to his ear and then bit down as a reprimand of what Eggsy did to him before, making the boy moan shamelessly and buck up again, meeting the similar hardness. It immediately made him to start unlooping Harry’s belt, because _hell_ , they were fooling around enough, he _needed him_ right now. It was a little more difficult when he couldn’t look because Harry decided it was the best time to kiss him again like the world was ending, but he succeeded in a moment, dragging the belt out of its loopholes and throwing it somewhere behind him, hearing it crack against the wall and then fall down onto the floor. He managed to pop out the button and drag down the zipper, and then he was curling his hand around Harry with a gasp and Harry above him shuddered and swore. It took about three strokes before the older man was fumbling with Eggsy’s jeans as well, much less gracefully than was normal for him, like all the patience left him long ago, and then Eggsy groaned and almost came on spot.

“Fuck, slow down,” he hissed with a trembling voice, his body tense like a string, threatening to explode like fireworks on 4th of July. “Or I’m d-done.”

He heard Harry chuckle and the pace quickened, _the bastard_ , and Eggsy found himself moaning like a cheap whore on a night out, bucking up and repeating Harry’s name obscenely, cursing him for not heeding his command, and it was seriously too hot to hold it for long.

“We have time,” Harry mouthed his neck hotly, licking long stripe of skin up to his chin. “We have _plenty_ of time.”

“Fuck you!” Eggsy cried out and another of pull brought him to a shattering orgasm, washing out the reality with a buzzing white noise for a while, making him writhe on the bed under the man with a nerve-wrecking pleasure.

“Amazing,” he heard Harry saying. “So fast.”

“Fuck off,” Eggsy growled in response, trying to undo the scrambled brain Harry caused, but failing massively. He wasn’t a fucking teenager anymore, and yet it he couldn’t hold back even if the world was ending. “It’s your fault anyway.”

“I hope so,” Harry smiled smugly, but Eggsy wasn’t a pushover, so this expression lasted for about two seconds before the blond managed to get back to his own doing, stroking his partner with vengeance.

“You have three options,” Eggsy warned him with a confident movement of his wrist, and Harry choked something out, apparently trying very hard not to push into the touch more.

“I can make you come like this,” Eggsy told him, gripping him a little firmer, and Harry hissed. “Or I can blow you,” There was definitely a twitch of interest in the older man and it made Eggsy bold, it gave him power over him, and he _loved it_. “Or we can move it up a notch and you can f-“

“Eggsy, you’re playing with fire,” Harry warned him breathlessly.

“That fits, you’re burning me to ashes,” Eggsy responded fervently and pushed up to claim his lips hungrily, already feeling building it up in him again. He didn’t get to kiss him for very long, because suddenly Harry seized his hand in an unforgiving grip and flipped him over like he weighted nothing, pushing against his back with a hot kisses all across his shoulder blades, then to the centre of his back and up again on his neck.

Eggsy couldn’t help but laugh, the choice Harry made apparent, and he quickly kicked his pants down, pushing it over the edge of the bed and arched into another set of licks and bites across his spine. There was an insistent hand on his left thigh, gripping him firmly and then pulling up, making Eggsy vulnerable and open.

“Have you ever-,”

“Ye,” Eggsy interrupted him impatiently. “Don’t need to treat me like a princess, just do it.”

He heard Harry laugh a bit and then the hand disappeared and Eggsy got flipped over again, staring up with a confused expression on his face at Harry who was bending over him again with a smile on his lips.

“Youngsters these days,” the older agent teased him, lying snugly on Eggsy without an inch of spare space between them and Eggsy smacked his butt because he could reach it effortlessly and convey the message. “So rushed.”

“Harry-,” he started warningly and Harry kissed him softly on the mouth and made himself comfortable between the boy’s thighs like he belonged there, making Eggsy gasp.

“Let me teach you.”

“Smartass,” Eggsy snorted but raised his hips to meet him nevertheless.

***

Eggsy didn’t feel functional. He actually had an impression he got broken several times on different places and now nobody could get him back to the original state without missing an important piece. There was an ache coming from everywhere, just with different degree, and he thought he was never going to get up again.

Not that he wanted to get up. It was warm, comfortable, and no pressing matters came to mind (and no alarm sounded), so he was allowed to get lazy and sleep however long he wanted. Well, probably until he would hear noises from the kitchen once his happy family would wake up, at that point the comfort would be over.

It was actually strange nothing appeared yet. It was like they slept forever for some reason and Eggsy found it unnatural, so he cracked an eye open and tried to move a little, just to be stopped by somebody holding his mid-section, pulling him back.

“It’s a day off, Eggsy,” he heard a rumble from behind him, soft and drowsy, and his insides almost melted when he realized it was Harry talking, the reality crashing into him suddenly. “Sleep a bit longer.”

He grinned, settling back into the warm, inviting embrace, and felt like Harry kissed his neck gently and snuggled close. For how cuddly he was now Eggsy thought it must have been because he hadn’t had any more energy to make Eggsy groan and moan like he did through the night. Because _goddamn_ , if this was sex, all Eggsy had been through before could have been considered a lame exchange of bodily fluids and nothing more. Harry was a determined lover, that for sure, never leaving the partner unsatisfied, as well as he never stopped until he came either, and for how considerate he usually was, in sex there were no buts, no maybes, and definitely no turns. He led through it selfishly, demandingly and Eggsy was fucking okay with that. When Harry manifested his strength by flipping the boy around, pulling him close, raising him from the bed, it was such a massive turn-on Eggsy would never believe it before.

So yes. Harry was a goddamn alpha male, and definitely a beast in bed, even though Eggsy doubted his _hard to please_ , since he witnessed several proofs of the opposite.

It was also a reason why his body felt how it felt, his neck stung a bit and his hips were definitely bruised, but all those marks were his to wear, and he was ought to wear them proudly.

“Who would say you’re such a lazy guy,” he teased Harry with a smirk, his fingers slowly tracing Harry’s arm he had slung over Eggsy’s stomach now, and the grip grew stronger for a moment, as well as a light bite landed on Eggsy’s shoulder.

“If you’re telling me you have energy to run around, I’d been doing something wrong,” Harry mumbled into his skin after and Eggsy snorted and wriggled around. He definitely hadn’t had energy to do much, his body felt heavy but sated, and having few more moments of calm was definitely a blessing.

“I’m pretty sure I’d be able to crawl to the bathroom at least,” he commented happily and Harry chuckled and his grip eased off a little, now more only resting than keeping him on spot.

“Sleep, Eggsy,” he ordered him softly. “As far as I know you haven’t delivered your report yet. It’s just a question of time until Merlin notices and starts pester you about it.”

“Nooo.”

“Sleep.”

“Yes, Harry,” he sighed and closed his eyes, letting Harry’s evened breathing lull him back to sleep. It was, after all, earned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betad by bespokes-maketh-man <3 Thank you so much!
> 
> Last chapter, wooo, finally xD Sorry for the long way, it just happened all badly - I was almost whole week without a proper internet, so I coudln't upload anything, and then when the chapter was ready, there was 4th of July and stuff around it, so no-go either for my beta, therefore I'm terribly sorry it's taking it all so long.
> 
> Anyway! Stupid smut, so yeah, nothing serious, nothing plot-like, just this lame thing. But it's done, and I'm happy, and thankful for all your feedbacks, suggestions, comments, seriously, so much love to you all!!! <3
> 
> Plus, if you ever had a request for this story, a one shot or something needed explained (and I admit there prolly is tons of stuff that doesn't really make sense - sorry!), feel free to prompt it to me and I'll gladly write some continuation of it ^^
> 
> Again, thank you very much to you all, it was a delightful experience and I'm happy that the first hartwin fanfiction I've ever written is somewhat bearable :)


	25. One Shot - Reckless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked a question 
> 
> hi okay I loved every bit of WAFI- it's was absolutely perfect and just asdfghjkl and I feel bad asking for a one shot (I don't know why) but I'm an absolute sucker for sad stories and I just want to ask for an angsty Hartwin one shot. I had an idea but its probably gonna sound really stupid but like I don't know. An angsty hartwin one shot where Harry starts to doubt and wonder if he really should be with Eggsy and I don't know jdbskdjskdjksjdjd I'm sorry.

It was about the third time Harry found himself alone in his house, staring at the text Eggsy sent him, falling into a painful routine of being denied the proximity. Daisy needed baby-sitting. Roxy asked him a day before Harry to go with her for a trip. Eggsy was dead tired after a week and half long mission and couldn’t move out of his bed without somebody lifting him and placing him somewhere else.

Harry thought he understood each and every time, but the more he mauled over it in the dim light of his living room, the less he did. He knew Eggsy was an active young man, he was aware the boy rarely sat still and occasionally even brought trouble with his hyperactivity. And the more those times came, the more Harry thought he just couldn’t keep up with that vigour.

Of course, Harry was always active too, it was in his bones, in the most inner core of his being. Staying idle became almost painful after a while, so he always had to find something to occupy him, but at times… at certain moments he felt like a day off was a brilliant idea – and even more so when Eggsy was around.

It was about three months of their relationship, they settled up in a comfortable rhythm somehow, and even though it was strange at first, almost alien to Harry to suddenly have somebody around him almost constantly, pushing and pulling, he grew to like it.

Maybe a little too much.

That was why the frequent excuses from the boy why he couldn’t come here _again_ started to get under his skin. Maybe this seriously wasn’t a good idea. Maybe he was too weak to give in, too needy to bound the blond to him, even though he warned him, he really did. And yet he felt bad for it, for his own desire to share his life with somebody – well, with a concrete somebody, that is – since it apparently started to backfire gradually.

Eggsy was young – too young actually (it always rang in his head very loudly, just _too young_ , this wasn’t a bearable age difference, this was a perverse one – he could be his father for fuck’s sake). It collided at times between them, it was an apparent obstacle and even though Harry knew better than to use it in an argument, or basically any talk, it was eating him alive.

Of course otherwise they clicked well enough, Harry admitted. Except occasional problems about being reckless during assignments, coming back somehow wounded, it was going smoothly. Eggsy was a cuddly pup, he apparently relished the feeling to be close to Harry, always snuggling close. They were used to sleeping together from the university, so getting back to it was easy and comfortable when Eggsy decided to spend the night.

It wasn’t like they kept the relationship secret, but Harry never actually talked about it outside of the house either, and nor did Eggsy. He was pretty sure Merlin knew, since he always had small, smart remarks that could have been interpreted that way, but Harry never initiated any talk with him to get the facts right.

They usually kept distance at work, him and Eggsy. Remaining professional and careful, even though Harry occasionally felt the carefully balanced control slipping away without his consent. It made him reckless, as much as he was chiding the boy for it, he was making mistakes as well.

Another thing to reconsider, he mused. They both were fixated too much on the other, and that wasn’t good for either of them. Any unnecessary risk any of them took met an unhappy reaction from the other, and Harry could see it was starting to affect them at work as well.

Was it really worth it? Was it alright for them both to risk this much for few moments of comradery?

Not to mention Eggsy could have done better – so much better. If anything, Harry was sure Eggsy and Roxy would make a nice, perfectly functioning pair – they were already very close. Sometimes Harry even found himself mauling over it like a jealous idiot, and it was wrong, so very wrong of him to think about those things. It wasn’t like he doubted Eggsy’s affection. It wasn’t like he doubted his own.

He just wasn’t sure. And the more texts of _not coming over today, sorry_ were getting him even worse, until he found himself on a verge of breaking it off completely.

It was ridiculous, really. It was him who made this happen after all. Him who pushed Eggsy where he wanted him, him who set all the traps to catch his prey, him who planted all the ideas to Eggsy’s pretty head, just to feel bad about it now, when it wasn’t going according to his plan.

If he had a plan in the first place.

It was more of a spontaneous decision, like holding back wasn’t an option anymore, like he needed to actually claim the boy as his to calm down. And Eggsy was willing, even though before the mission it probably never had even crossed his mind.

It was better to end it, wasn’t it. It was better for both of them, for their own sanity, for the safety. Eggsy had his whole life before him and Harry wasn’t fair to hold him back only because he was selfish and liked the boy too much.

If only his father knew…

Harry shuddered, putting the phone away and rubbed his eyes. So many displeasing thoughts, that couldn’t be healthy. He got up and left the living room in slow, tired pace.

Maybe Eggsy was getting tired of him in the end? Maybe all those apologies for not being able to come were just a hoax? Maybe he didn’t want to spend too much time with Harry, maybe he had other hobbies, other ideas. Maybe he was slowly falling out of it, his affection too unstable as young people were.

Maybe he met someone else and wasn’t sure how to break it up to Harry after this time.

Harry shook his head, chiding himself for such stupid thought. If Eggsy did that, he would tell him. The amazing quality this boy had was _loyalty_ and _honesty_ to people he cared about. And Harry could tell he cared about him a lot, there was no way he would lie to him and deceive him this way.

He languidly approached the stairs, started ascending with heavy feet. He wasn’t physically tired, but somehow his body was refusing to cooperate properly. Another reason this union was bad – if it affected him this way already, what would happen in a year?

He almost miss stepped when a bell ran at the main door, and he raised an eyebrow and got back down. Tips of his fingers were tingling, heart started speeding up the moment he got closer to the door in foolish hope Eggsy was there, changed his mind about staying home after all.

He was like a lovesick teenager, this had to stop.

He opened the door with a deep sigh and almost choked on it when the blond boy really stood behind them, his hair ruffled, eyes a little sleepy, and before Harry could say anything, he stepped close and leaned into Harry like he was the only possible surface he could rest against.

“Bring me to bed,” Eggsy mumbled into Harry’s shoulder, nosing the sweater like a puppy that just got to his master. “Or I will pass out right here.”

Harry wanted to say something, but words died in his throat before he could even open his mouth, so he lifted Eggsy instead, letting him curl around him, and carried him to the bedroom like a baby.

“You wrote you won’t come today,” he found his voice a while later when he put the blond on the mattress, slowly getting rid of the clothing Eggsy had on him.

“You haven’t replied to the text,” Eggsy responded tiredly, barely rising his hips to get rid of the jeans he was wearing. “I gathered you are angry. Came to make it up to ya, but I feel like I can barely talk, not to mention actually make any amends.”

Harry sighed and pulled a shirt over Eggsy’s head, then pushed him to the lying position and threw a blanket over him.

“It’s alright,” he said a little stiffly even to his own ears, gently rubbing the boy’s knuckles. His hands were a little cold. “I’m not angry.”

“You’re a shitty liar,” Eggsy chuckled and snuggled deeper into covers, his hand grabbed Harry’s and pulled at it. “Come here.”

“Eggsy…”

“Hm?”

“I don’t want you to come here out of obligation,” Harry said shortly, immediately earning a firmer squeeze for it.

“What obligation?” the blond frowned at him, apparently already picking up something was wrong. “I’m here cuz I want to be.”

“That’s not what you said before,” Harry pointed out a little too stubbornly, he realized that.

“Are you bonkers?” he stared at him unhappily and at that moment Harry wondered why exactly did he bring that up now. It wasn’t like he wanted to fight, or argue, or anything along these lines. He was delighted Eggsy showed up, his body was completely honest with that, and yet the over analytical part of him decided to ruin it.

Well, there was a reason why he didn’t do relationships after all.

“Something is eating ya,” Eggsy grumbled and dragged himself up to a sitting position. His body radiated exhaustion and Harry wanted to push him back to the covers, but the blond caught his hand and refused to move. “Spit it out.”

“I thought you’re tired,” Harry opposed, suddenly not wanting to talk at all, but the stubborn look Eggsy adopted told him he wouldn’t get out of it so easily.

“Harry,” Eggsy hissed warningly. “I’m tired and cranky and the mission didn’t exactly go according to plan, so I’m also pissy, that’s why I thought it’s better to scream into my own pillow and then sleep through it without snapping at ya. You understand that, right?”

“The mission didn’t go well?” Harry tried to change the subject and Eggsy slapped his hand.

“Stop that,” he pointed at the older agent warningly. “It’s exhausting being the mature one here.”

Harry hummed, giving a point to the boy for having the guts, and circled the bed, just to slip under covers on the other side. Eggsy watched him the whole time like a predator, and once Harry settled down, the blonde’s face softened and he snuggled closer to Harry’s frame like he accepted the apology.

 _I probably should apologize_ , Harry thought.

“It’s tiresome, innit,” he heard Eggsy rumble sleepily. “Being unsure.”

“Yes,” Harry agreed easily, pulling his smaller frame closer to his own, sharing the heat. “But there is no way to be completely sure.”

“Gotta trust a bit, ye?” Eggsy yawned and pinched Harry to his side, like a reprimand. “And stop being ridiculous.”

“Of course,” Harry kissed the top of Eggsy’s head and his eyelids slowly dropped.

“Love ya,” Eggsy piped and it made Harry smile and repeat the phrase back.

He was reckless and jealous, but it wasn’t time to give up on this, ever. 

**Author's Note:**

> My very first, very nervous try of hartwin. Of course I blantantly ignored the fact Harry died in the movie, so here we go. This goes post-movie.  
> I admit I saw it only once so far, need to rewatch it later, so feel free to point out mistakes and stuff :)  
> Also, forgot to mention, this was prompted by robin-nohood from Tumblr ^^


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